Method and apparatus for implementing a video tape recorder for recording digital video signals having either a fixed or variable data transmission rate

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatus for converting digital signals having a variable data rate to fixed data rate signals suitable for recording on a tape by a digital video tape recorder are disclosed. The methods include buffering of the received variable rate data, measuring the data rate of the received data for a fixed period of time and processing the buffered data to converted it into a fixed rate data stream. This processes is repeated for each of the fixed periods of time. Methods for increasing the recording time of a digital video tape recorder (&#34;VTR&#34;) and for supporting multiple normal play modes of digital VTR operation, e.g., recording modes for recording SDTV and HDTV are also disclosed. To generate fixed data rate signals from variable data rate signals one or more of data padding and/or data reduction techniques are used. The same data reduction techniques used to generate the fixed rate data stream are used, in accordance with various embodiment of the invention, to reduce the amount of data required to represent a video frame.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 08/228,949, filed on Apr. 18, 1994, which is acontinuation of abandoned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/004,158,filed on Jan. 13, 1993, and a continuation-in-part of pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 08/184,716, filed on Jan. 21, 1994, each ofwhich is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to digital video tape recorders("VTRs"), and more particularly, to methods for recording digital highdefinition television ("HDTV") and/or digital standard definitiontelevision ("SDTV") signals on a tape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Digital VTR's can be expected to receive digital video data in acompressed format. Several formats have been proposed for compressingvideo data to form a digital video data stream which may then bedisplayed and/or recorded on video tape. For a discussion of severalproposed digital video standards, see U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/003,887 referred to above.

One digital video compression and data transmission format that offersparticular promise with regard to high definition television ("HDTV") isthe ISO-MPEG (International Standards Organization--Moving PictureExperts Group) standard described in a report titled "Coding of MovingPictures and Associated Audio for Digital Storage Media up to about 1.5Mbits/s", ISO 2 11172 rev 1, Jun. 10, 1992 hereby expressly incorporatedby reference.

Terms used in this application are intended to be used in a manner thatis consistent with the same terms used in the MPEG standard unlessindicated otherwise. Thus, references to video pictures, I-pictures,P-pictures, B-pictures, video codewords, video codeword headers, slices,slice headers, macroblocks, macroblock headers, DCT (discrete cosinetransform) coefficients and other terms used to refer to video datastream elements and compression techniques are intended to refer to suchelements and techniques as defined by the MPEG standard. The use of suchMPEG terminology is, however, in no way intended to limit the presentapplication to the MPEG video data standard. Accordingly, references toMPEG data stream elements are intended to cover similar "MPEG like" datastream elements incorporated into video standards which use the samebasic formats and data compression techniques described in the abovereferenced MPEG documents.

It is to be understood that various features of the present invention,such as data recording techniques, as opposed to, e.g., specific dataprioritization and selection techniques, are generally not data formatdependent and are therefore not limited to applications involvingspecific data formats.

While digital VTRs may have to be designed to work with one or morevideo compression schemes and/or data formats, the basic problemsassociated with increasing the recording time of a digital VTR aregenerally the same regardless of the format of the compressed digitalvideo data being supplied to a VTR for recording and later playback.

Herein references to normal play modes of VTR operation are intended torefer to modes of digital VTR operation wherein data sufficient toreproduce a complete or almost complete set of the video picturesreceived by the VTR are recorded on, and/or read from, the video tape.Normal play modes of VTR operation are to be contrasted with trick playmodes of VTR operation such as fast forward and reverse operation whereonly a small portion of the video data received and recorded on a tapeare read and displayed during such trick play operation.

Analog video tape recorders that are capable of supporting multiplenormal play modes of VTR operation are well known. For example, VHSVCR's generally support long play "LP" mode, and extended play "EP" modein addition to the standard play "SP" mode of operation. In each of thethree modes of operation, the same fixed length of tape is used to storea different number of video images, e.g., a sufficient number of imagesto display 2, 4, or 6 hours of National Television Systems Committee("NTSC") analog video data. Each of these three different normal playmodes of operation provide differing image quality.

The different normal play modes supported by VHS VCRs are achieved byusing different tape speeds for each normal play mode of VHS VCRoperation resulting in different data densities on the tape for eachnormal play mode. This permits the video data rate and the tape outputdata rate to remain unchanged in the different modes of operation. Whilethe video data rate remains the same for all modes of VHS operation, asthe tape data density is increased to support the longer play modes ofoperation, the signal to noise ratio ("S/N") is decreased resulting in acorresponding decrease in image quality during VHS playback operation.

Digital video tape recorders, including those that might be used torecord HDTV will generally be required to operate in the highest tapedata density mode possible in order to store the large amounts ofdigital data needed to represent video images. Thus, any attempt toincrease data density on a digital video tape beyond the normal datadensity will result in an unacceptable digital error rate. Such a higherror rate is due to the decrease in the S/N ratio which results fromthe use of the higher than normal tape data density. In a digital VTRthe increased digital error rate that results from the use of higherthan normal tape data density rates, is likely to lead to a catastrophicloss of picture. Accordingly, varying the tape data density in a digitalVTR does not provide a viable means of supporting multiple normal playrecording and video tape recorder playback speeds, i.e., modes ofdigital VTR operation, as it does in analog VCRs.

The use of data reduction techniques to reduce the amount of datarequired to represent a series of images might appear to be the onlything necessary for increasing digital VTR recording time. However, themere reduction, e.g., through the use of data compression or othertechniques, in the data rate required to create a series of videoimages, in and of itself, is insufficient to achieve a long-play mode ofoperation in a digital VTR. Generally, because of the difficulty ofmanufacturing a headwheel assembly that can be used to record video dataat more than one rotational speed, known digital VTR's only support therecording of a data bit stream at a single constant data density.Because HDTV and other video formats require that a fixed number ofvideo images be displayed during a time period of a predeterminedduration, a reduction in the data rate requires that less data berecorded and later read back per a given unit of time than would berequired if the data were recorded and read back at the full bit streamdata rate. Thus, a digital VTR which implements a long-play mode througha reduction in the data rate is required to implement one bit streamrecording and playback data rate for standard play operation and anotherbit stream recording and playback data rate for long-play modeoperation.

Known digital VTRs are capable of recording data comprising bit streamsonly at a single constant data rate. Accordingly, because known digitalVTR's are incapable of recording multiple-speed bit streams at aconstant data density, which would be required to support a standardplay and a long play mode of operation in a digital VTR, known VTRs cannot support a long play mode of operation implemented using datareduction techniques alone.

While some known data logging devices based on linear scan, as opposedto helical scan, recording methods support the recording ofmultiple-speed bit streams, such data logging devices are impracticalfor use as digital VTRs. This is because linear scan data recordingdevices capable of high data rates generally use a large number of headswhich make such recording devices too costly for use as consumer digitalVTRs.

Accordingly, there is a need for a digital VTR that can support at leastone long play mode of operation in addition to standard play operation.In addition, in order to maintain compatibility with standard HDTVreceivers during long play mode operation, the digital VTR shouldgenerate a data stream that is compliant with the video data compressionstandards and data stream format used during standard play mode.Furthermore, it is highly desirable that the digital VTR be capable ofbeing implemented in a manner that makes it practical as a consumerdigital VTR.

The use of digital SDTV which will have approximately the sameresolution as current NTSC television has been suggested as a method ofdigital television communication in addition to the various proposeddigital HDTV schemes.

In the case of digital SDTV, the SDTV signal can be broadcast using afraction of the bandwidth used to transmit a HDTV signal. Accordingly,it is possible to transmit multiple, e.g., four, SDTV signals in thesame channel that could otherwise accommodate a single HDTV signal. Bydividing the available TV signal spectrum into a plurality of channelshaving a bandwidth equal to the bandwidth of a HDTV signal, it will bepossible for a broadcaster to broadcast either a single HDTV signal ormultiple digital SDTV signals within a single channel. For example, aHDTV signal may be broadcast at night while multiple SDTV signals arebroadcast in the same channel at other times of the day.

While most proposals for HDTV signals have suggested use of a fixed rateHDTV signal for broadcast purposes, e.g., having a bandwidthcorresponding to the maximum bandwidth permitted by the size ofallocated channels, it has been suggested that SDTV signals be allowedto vary in terms of their data rate. In such a case, a transmitterallocated a single channel in which multiple SDTV signals can bebroadcast would be able to instantaneously vary the bit rate for any oneof the multiple SDTV signals being broadcast. In this manner, atransmitter may provide for an increased bit rate for one of the SDTVsignals being broadcast within a channel at the expense of the otherSDTV signals being broadcast within the same channel.

In such a case, the maximum bit rate possible for any SDTV signal wouldbe the full channel bandwidth but since the use of the full bandwidthwould result in the exclusion of other SDTV signals from the channelbandwidth it is likely that a maximum permissible data rate will be seteither by the industry or the Federal Communications Commission for thetransmission of SDTV signals. One likely maximum data rate is the datarate specified by the MPEG main profile at main level description whichspecifies a maximum data rate of 15 MBits/s which is less than theexpected 19.3 Mbits/s data payload of a HDTV broadcast channel. Such amaximum data rate limitation will also serve to place reasonable limitson the size of the buffers that will be required to implement a SDTVreceiver.

Because digital video tape recorders are generally designed to record atfixed rates there is a need for a method and apparatus for implementinga digital video tape recorder capable of recording and reproducing SDTVvideo signals which may have variable transmission data rates.

In addition, it is highly desirable that a VTR be capable of recordingboth HDTV signals as well as SDTV signals. Accordingly, there is a needfor a digital VTR that is capable of recording at two different datarates, e.g., at a first data rate required to record a HDTV signal andat a second data rate suitable for recording SDTV signals. Furthermore,it is desirable that such VTRs also be capable of supporting one or morelong play modes of VTR operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus forpermitting a digital VTR to record HDTV signals and/or SDTV signalswhere the SDTV signals may have variable transmission data rates. Thepresent invention is also directed to methods and apparatus forproviding one or more long play modes of VTR operation.

In accordance with the present invention, recording of SDTV signals isachieved by performing data reduction and/or data rate smoothingtechniques, in accordance with the present invention, on the variablerate data representing a SDTV signal.

By applying the data reduction and/or data rate smoothing techniques ofthe present invention, a SDTV signal is converted from a variable ratesignal, into a fixed rate signal, which can then be recorded on a tapein accordance with one or more of the various recording methods of thepresent invention.

In order to support recording of both HDTV signals and SDTV signals, aVTR mode control circuit is used to detect whether HDTV or SDTV signalsare being received. This is accomplished by, e.g., checking a receivedsignal for a sequence header identifying picture size or a levelindicator value indicative of either HDTV or SDTV or by measuring thedata rate of the received signal to determine if it approximates a HDTVor SDTV data rate. If HDTV signals are being received the video recorderof the present invention is controlled to record the data at the rate ofthe HDTV signal. However, if the VTR mode control circuit detects that aSDTV signal is being received or if the VTR is instructed, e.g., via aninput signal from a user, to operate in SDTV mode, data reduction and/orsmoothing techniques are used to convert the variable rate SDTV signalinto a fixed rate signal which is then recorded on a tape.

The digital VTR of the present invention records data at two or moredifferent rates. For example, in one embodiment it records HDTV signalsat one data rate while recording SDTV signals at a lower data rate.

In order to support long play modes of VTR operation, in one embodiment,multiple recording data rates are supported for recording HDTV signalsand/or SDTV signals in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representative diagram of a VTR head assembly comprisingfour heads, two heads being of positive azimuth and two heads being ofnegative azimuth.

FIG. 2 is a representative diagram of a VTR head assembly comprisingfive heads, including one set of co-located heads.

FIG. 3 is a representative diagram of a VTR head assembly comprising twoheads of different azimuths arranged as a set of co-located heads.

FIG. 4 is a representative diagram of a VTR head assembly comprisingeight heads, four of positive azimuth and four of negative azimuth.

FIGS. 5a through 5e are diagrams illustrating the path the heads of FIG.1 trace over a tape in accordance with one long play mode embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 6 which comprises the combination of FIGS. 6A and 6B, is anexemplary schematic block diagram of a VTR recording circuit of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary schematic block diagram of a VTR playback circuitaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a representative diagram of a VTR head assembly which may beused in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary schematic block diagram of a VTR recordingcircuit of the present invention capable of recording HDTV signalsand/or SDTV signals.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a video frame upon which data reduction isperformed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to digital video tape recorders("VTRs") and, more particularly, to a method of increasing the recordingtime of digital VTRs by permitting a digital VTR to support multiplenormal play modes of VTR operation, e.g., a standard play mode ofoperation and one or more long play modes of VTR operation. As will bediscussed below, the digital VTR of the present invention maintains thesame tape data density regardless of the particular normal play mode ofVTR operation and produces a data stream that is in full compliance withthe data compression standards and video format of the full rate bitstream generated during standard play mode operation.

Herein long play mode will be used to generally refer to a digital VTRmode of operation wherein a fixed length of video tape is used to storedata representing more video images or pictures than are stored on thesame length of tape during standard play mode operation. Stated anotherway, during standard play mode, a fixed length of tape may store videodata sufficient to produce, e.g., 2 hours of HDTV images while duringlong play mode the same fixed length of tape may be used to store, e.g.,data representing 4 hours of HDTV images.

While the references to data in this application generally refer tovideo data, the data may also include audio data and/or other associateddata.

The data stream received by a VTR from, e.g., a transmitter or cabletelevision source, is normally of a fixed bit rate which is a functionof the particular data transmission format. The data stream received bythe VTR of the present invention and output during standard mode VTRoperation, will be referred to as a full rate data stream or a bitstream. Data streams generated by the VTR of the present inventionhaving a data rate that is less than the data rate of the full rate bitstream will be referred to as reduced rate data streams or reduced ratebit streams. During digital VTR long play mode operation such datastreams may be generated, e.g., by applying data reduction techniques tothe full rate bit stream received by the digital VTR.

Generally, long play mode recording in accordance with the presentinvention involves three steps 1) reducing the amount of data that mustbe recorded on a tape to represent a series of images, e.g., videopictures by generating a reduced rate bit stream from the received fullrate bit stream, 2) recording the data in the reduced rate bit stream ona tape at the same data density that data are recorded at during thestandard play mode of VTR operation when the full rate bit stream isrecorded on the tape, and 3) reading a previously recorded tape at areduced data rate.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, VTR recording duringlong play mode is achieved by first reducing the amount of data neededto represent images or pictures to produce a reduced rate bit streamfrom the full rate bit stream received by the digital VTR. During longplay mode recording is then performed by recording the reduced rate bitstream on a tape at the tape's normal data density in accordance withthe methods of the present invention. Finally, data are read from thetape at a reduced rate in accordance with the methods of this invention.As discussed above, in the case of digital VTRs, the tape's normal datadensity will generally approximate the tape's maximum data density. Inthis manner, the present invention achieves long play modes of operationwithout having to increase data density as is commonly done in analogVCR applications.

The present invention provides three data reduction methods that may beused either alone or in combination to reduce the amount of data neededto represent a series of images during long play modes of VTR operation.In addition, the present invention provides various methods forrecording and playing back the reduced set of digital data needed torepresent a series of images on a video tape, at the same data densityas used when recording video data during standard play mode of VTRoperation. These recording methods permit the headwheel upon which thevideo heads are mounted to rotate at the same rate when recording eithera full rate bit stream or a reduced rate bit stream. The data reductionmethods of the present invention will now be described in detail.

Three data reduction techniques of the present invention which arediscussed below, are designed to be used with the full rate compressedvideo bit stream that a digital VTR will normally receive. The full ratecompressed video that a VTR receives will contain data representing aseries of video pictures. The video pictures may be grouped intosequences. Each sequence of pictures may contain, e.g., one fullyintracoded video picture and one or more inter-coded video pictures.Each inter-coded video picture may be either a predictively orbi-directionally coded video picture. The intra-coded video picture ineach sequence of pictures normally serves as an anchor frame for otherinter-coded video pictures within the sequence of pictures.

It is expected that each video picture to be represented as compresseddigital video data will be divided into a number of segments forencoding purposes. In accordance with such encoding schemes, the datarepresenting each segment of a video picture correspond to a particularportion of a video display screen. For example, one segment mayrepresent a portion of a video picture intended to be displayed near thecenter of a video display screen while another segment may represent aportion of a video picture intended to be displayed near the outsideedge of a video display screen.

Accordingly, a video data stream, i.e., bit stream, received by adigital VTR is likely to include data representing multiple sequences ofpictures wherein each sequence of pictures includes data representing aseries of video pictures. The data representing each video picture maycomprise data representing segments of the video picture, e.g.,macroblocks, with each macroblock corresponding to a different physicalscreen position. Macroblocks that represent a video picture may befurther grouped together for encoding purposes into, e.g., slices.

In addition to the encoded video data, the video data stream may includee.g., headers identifying the data representing each video picture, aswell as headers identifying slices and macroblocks which comprise eachvideo picture.

The video data and header information comprising a video data stream maybe variable length encoded into, e.g., codewords. The codewords may befurther arranged into data packets. The data packets and/or codewordsmay contain additional headers identifying the contents of theindividual data packets or codewords contained therein. The data packetswhich are further arranged to form a digital video data stream may bereceived by a digital VTR of the present invention.

Accordingly, the digital video data stream received by a digital VTR islikely to include variable length encoded, compressed video data,arranged as a series of groups of pictures with the data comprising eachgroup of pictures being encoded on a picture by picture basis.

As discussed above, in accordance with the present invention, the amountof data recorded on a tape must be reduced to achieve longer recordingtimes, i.e., long play modes of VTR operation.

One method of achieving the reduced data rate needed for long play VTRoperation is to fully decode the compressed video data comprising thefull rate video data bit stream received by the digital VTR and then todo a full encode of the decoded video data at the desired bit rate.While this method would provide the required reduction in video data,such an approach is cost prohibitive because of the excessive amounts ofhardware required to implement such a decoder and encoder in a digitalVTR.

The present invention provides three alternative means of reducing theamount of video data that must be recorded to achieve digital VTR longplay modes of operation. These methods of generating a reduced rate bitstream require less hardware, and are therefore generally cheaper toimplement than the above method of fully decoding and re-encoding thedata in the full rate bit stream.

In accordance with each of the following data reduction techniques, thedata in the full rate data stream received by a digital VTR is firstvariable length decoded before the data reduction methods of the presentinvention are applied. After a reduced rate data stream is generatedfrom the variable length decoded full rate data stream, it is re-encodedto generate a variable length encoded reduced rate bit stream.

In accordance with the first of the three data reduction techniques ofthe present invention, selected parts of the full bit-rate compressedvideo bit stream are extracted and packed to form a new reduced bit-ratebit stream that remains compliant with the encoding and bit stream dataformat supported by the digital VTR of the present invention.

In accordance with this method, the bit rate of a full rate bit streamcan be reduced to a target bit rate by first prioritizing each codewordin the bit stream, and then selecting the codewords to form a newreduced rate bit stream having the desired data rate.

This approach takes advantage of the fact that, regardless of theparticular encoding method used to generate the full rate bit stream,some codewords in the bit stream will contain data that are ofrelatively little importance. Such codewords may be omitted from the bitstream without having a significant impact on picture quality. On theother hand, other codewords will contain relatively important datawithout which it might not be possible to generate a recognizable image.

In accordance with this codeword prioritization approach, each codewordin the full rate data bit stream received by the VTR is assigned apriority level or number based on its relative importance to generatinga video frame having good image quality. Accordingly, codewords areprioritized as a function of their importance in generating video framesduring long play modes of VTR playback operation.

The prioritization scheme used to support long play modes of VTRoperation are likely to be similar to those used for trick playprioritization described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/003,887,titled "DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDING DEVICE". Accordingly, a digital VTR thatcontains hardware for trick play prioritization such as the one in theabove identified copending patent application, could implement a longplay prioritization scheme according to the present invention at littleor no additional cost.

One suitable prioritization scheme for prioritizing video codewords foruse in a reduced rate bit stream suitable for supporting long play modedigital VTR operation is described below with regard to an MPEG baseddata stream. Listed below are the types of data that may be contained ina codeword, and the suggested priority number to be assigned to thecodeword containing the data. It should be noted that the data in eachcodeword correspond to, or is associated with, a particular video framerepresented by the data in the video data stream.

One suitable prioritization order for long play mode VTR operation,listed in order from the most important to the least important data, isas follows:

1. Video codeword headers that contain sequence and picture information,and slice headers that contain information on which position of thescreen the corresponding slice data represents.

2. Macroblock headers which contain information about either amacroblock's position within a slice, quantization information and/orthe method used to code macroblocks corresponding to the macroblockheaders.

3. DC coefficients of Intra-coded video pictures (I-pictures).

4. Motion vectors for predictively coded video pictures (P-pictures).

5. DC coefficients of the discrete cosine transform ("DCT") forP-pictures which correct the corresponding P-picture and improve theP-picture's image quality.

6. Motion vectors for bi-directionally coded video pictures(B-pictures), that provide enough information to predict a picture fromthe last I-picture or P-picture.

7. DC coefficients of the DCT for B-pictures which correct thecorresponding B-pictures thereby improving the quality of the imagegenerated therefrom.

8. Higher order DCT coefficients for I-pictures that can be used toimprove the quality of the corresponding I-pictures and the P- andB-pictures which use the I-pictures as anchor frames.

9. Higher order DCT coefficients for P-pictures that can be used tofurther improve the quality of the corresponding P-pictures.

10. Higher order DCT coefficients for B-pictures that can be use toimprove the quality of the corresponding B-pictures.

While the goal of the above prioritization scheme is to provide a methodby which the data rate can be reduced, it is important to note that thereduced rate data stream generated during VTR long play mode operationshould include sufficient data to support the same frame display ratesupported during standard play mode.

Accordingly, unlike the case of selecting data to be displayed duringtrick play operation, the data reduction technique of the presentinvention is designed to reduce the amount of data needed to generatevideo pictures without decreasing the number of video pictures to bedisplayed. Thus, the data reduction methods of the present inventionprovide a method of reducing the data rate without altering the framedisplay rate.

Thus, while the above prioritization scheme is similar to that suggestedfor trick play prioritization, the reduced rate data stream generatedfor long play mode operation should include B-picture data that are oflittle or no use during trick play operation. Such B-pictures arenormally not displayed during trick play operation and the data neededto generate such B-pictures are therefore normally omitted from a trickplay data stream.

In order to achieve the desired reduction in the data rate, afterprioritizing the codewords, the codewords having the highest priorityfrom each sequence of pictures or video picture, are selected to providea reduced data rate bit stream having the desired data rate, e.g., forlong play mode operation. For example, if a 25% reduction in the fullbit stream data rate was desired for long play mode operation to providea corresponding 25% increase in recording time, the highest prioritycodewords from each group of pictures or video pictures could beselected from the prioritized full rate data stream to create a reducedrate bit stream having a data rate of 75% that of the data rate of thefull rate bit stream.

Such a data reduction approach can be used to achieve virtually anydesired reduction in the data rate assuming sufficient data remains inthe reduced rate bit stream to generate recognizable video images duringlong play mode VTR operation.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the datarate reduction needed to support long play modes of digital VTRoperation is achieved merely by reducing the amount of higher order I-,P- and B-DCT coefficient data required to achieve the desired amount ofdata reduction. Higher order I-, P- and B-DCT coefficients include DCTcoefficients other than the DC (zero frequency) coefficients.

In such an embodiment, it is desirable to maintain the same relativeamounts of higher order I-, P- and B-DCT coefficients in the reducedrate bit stream as found in the full rate bit stream. Accordingly, therelative amounts of data represented by the codewords which are assignedto priority levels 8, 9 and 10, in accordance with the prioritizationscheme of the present invention, should be selected for inclusion in thereduced rate bit stream in approximately the same ratios found in thefull rate bit stream received by the digital VTR.

By maintaining the same relative amounts of higher order I-, P- andB-DCT coefficients in the reduced rate bit stream, as found in the fullrate bit stream, dramatic changes in image quality between successiveI-, P- and B-pictures will be avoided. In this manner, a viewer watchinga series of images generated from a reduced rate data stream will not beconfronted with sudden noticeable changes in image quality as thevarious I-, P- and B-video pictures are displayed.

While the above prioritization scheme is described using MPEGterminology, it should be noted that the prioritization scheme can bereadily generalized to numerous other digital video compression systems.

The second data reduction method of the present invention, relies onchanging the quantization scale factor used to generate the full ratebit stream to generate a reduced rate bit stream.

Normally when a bit stream is encoded, the quantization scale factor isdynamically adjusted to maintain the average data rate at the broadcastbit rate. The use of higher quantization scale factors results in theexclusion of higher frequency DCT coefficients from the data stream. Theexclusion of such high frequency DCT coefficients has the result ofreducing the quality of the images that can be reproduced from the datacontained in the video data stream. However, a higher quantization scalefactor does offer the advantage of reducing the amount of data that isincluded in the video data stream.

In accordance with the second data reduction method of the presentinvention, the data rate is reduced by increasing the quantization scalefactor from that used during encoding of the broadcast bit streamreceived by the VTR.

In order to change the quantization scale factor to achieve the desiredreduction in the data rate from the data rate of the full rate bitstream, the full rate bit stream is first variable length decoded. Thedecoded bit stream is then parsed to identify the DCT coefficientscontained within the received portion of the data stream. The identifiedDCT coefficients are then requantized using a higher scale factor thanthat used to generate the full rate bit stream. The decoded andrequantized bit stream is then variable length encoded again to form areduced rate bit stream that is compliant with the format of the fullrate bit stream.

It should be noted that in accordance with this method, the relativeincrease in the quantization scale factor need not be fixed at the samevalue for all DCT coefficients, macroblocks or pictures.

As will be discussed below, the VTR recorder circuitry illustrated inFIG. 6 is capable of performing such a requantization process inaccordance with the data reduction method of the present invention.

Simulations have shown that requantizing with a higher quantizationfactor gives better results than data reduction through the use of dataprioritization, when the two methods are used to achieve the same totaldata rate reduction. However, data prioritization is a simpler operationto implement than requantization. Accordingly, it may be cheaper toimplement a long play mode in a digital VTR using data prioritizationand selection rather than requantization to achieve the desiredreduction in the data rate. However, the use of requantization providessuperior results in terms of image quality.

The third method of generating a reduced rate bit stream from a fullrate bit stream received by a VTR will now be described.

In the previously described methods, the bit rate was reduced byeither 1) performing variable length decoding, data prioritization,selection of the prioritized data and re-encoding of the selected dataor 2) performing variable length decoding, re-quantizing of the decodeddata with an adjusted quantization scale factor selected to produce areduced bit rate, and re-encoding of the re-quantized data. Inaccordance with each of these methods data reduction is performeduniformly over each video picture. Accordingly, data reduction isperformed without taking into consideration the screen location of theimage portion to be produced by the data upon which data reduction isbeing performed.

As discussed above, data within the bit stream received by the VTRrepresents a series of video pictures with portions of each videopicture being represented by data contained within the bit stream. Eachportion of a video picture corresponds to a particular screen location,for example, the center of the screen or the lower outside right handportion of the screen. In the case of MPEG based broadcast systems eachvideo picture is divided into many macroblocks which are individuallyencoded. Thus, each macroblock in the bit stream corresponds to aparticular picture and a particular position within that picture.

In accordance with the third data reduction technique of the presentinvention, screen location of the image to be generated from each pieceof data in the bit stream is used as a factor when prioritizing data. Inaccordance with this method, data associated with the center of videopictures is assigned a relatively higher data rate than the datarepresenting video picture edges.

Thus, because of this type of prioritization, when data are selected toform the reduced rate bit stream, a relatively high amount of datacorresponding to the center of video pictures will be selected while arelatively lesser amount of the data corresponding to the edges of videopictures will be selected for inclusion in the reduced rate bit stream.In this manner, data representing the center portion of video picturesmay be included in the reduced bit rate stream at the same or at aslightly reduced bit rate when compared to the full bit rate stream.However, data representing the edges of video pictures will be includedin the reduced rate bit stream at a bit rate that is significantly lowerthan the bit rate of such data in the full bit rate data stream.

This third data reduction technique results in images that arerelatively clear in the center portions of each picture but are ofdecreasing quality towards the edge regions of each picture.

Various test have demonstrated that the human visual system is moresensitive to some areas of a video image than others. By concentratinghigher resolution images towards the center of a display screen withdecreasing image quality towards the edges, the third method of thepresent invention takes advantage of this aspect of human imageperception. By providing a method by which the available video data areused to provide video frames that are of higher quality towards theircenter, i.e., the portion of the image to which a person is most likelyto be sensitive, the present invention provides a more efficient use ofthe available video data than would result by producing an image havingthe same quality over the entire frame.

Furthermore, such a selective decrease in image quality towards theedges of each video frame mirrors that generally obtainable fromconsumer televisions incorporating picture tubes. Such picture tubes aregenerally sharper at the center than at the edges of the tube. Toprovide good results when using the third data reduction method of thepresent invention, the increasing degree of data reduction that isperformed on video frames, from the center of the frame outward, shouldresult in a slow and gradual change in sharpness and brightness similarto that inherently associated with picture tube used in consumertelevisions.

Referring now to FIGS. 10A and 10B, there is illustrated a video frame1000, e.g., a HDTV video frame including 1920×1080 pixels which areencoded into an array of 120×68 macroblocks. Thus, the video frame 1000includes a total of 8160 macroblocks. For data reduction purposes, thevideo frame 1000 may be divided into three regions as illustrated inFIG. 10, e.g., a center portion or region A1 1001 including an array of60×34 macroblocks for a total of 2040 macroblocks which represent 25% ofthe video frame 1000, an inner peripheral portion A2 1002 including 3090macroblocks representing 37.9% of the video frame 1000, and an outerperipheral portion of the video frame including 3030 macroblocksrepresenting 37.1% of the video frame 1000.

In implementing the third data reduction method of the present inventionon the video frame 1000, it is possible to achieve a total datareduction of, e.g., 50%, assuming for purposes of this example that, onaverage, the macroblocks of each section 1001, 1002, 1003 of the videoframe 1000 are represented using the same amount of data, by applying adata reduction rate of 20% to the area A1 1001, a data reduction rate of40% to the area A2, and a data reduction rate of 80% to the area A3. Inaccordance with the present invention, the amount of data reductionperformed on the various portions of the video frame 1000 increasestowards the outer peripheral portion of the video frame as compared tothe center portion of the video frame.

By performing the above described data reduction technique on videoframes included in a video data stream, it is possible to achieve adesired reduction in the bit rate of the video data stream beingprocessed.

This third data reduction technique offers a method of providing longerplay modes of operation with the reduction in image resolution from longplay mode operation corresponding to the same type of image qualityreduction that results from the inherent limitations associated with theuse of a picture tube. Because consumers are already accustomed to suchimage quality limitations this data reduction method offers advantagesover other data reduction methods that may result in image qualityproblems which are more noticeable to a consumer.

Data reduction methods 1 and 3 can be combined such that dataprioritization and selection can be used as the method of reducing thedata rate to produce a reduced rate bit stream from a full rate bitstream.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, datareduction methods 2 and 3 are combined to provide acceptable datareduction results for long play digital VTR operation have been achievedby increasing the quantization scale factor as a function of the screenposition of the image represented by the video data. In such anembodiment the quantization scale factor is increased to a greaterdegree for data representing portions of images located toward the edgeof the screen as opposed to the center of the screen. A total datareduction of 20-40% with satisfactory results was shown usingsimulations to be possible using the combination of data reductionmethods 2 and 3 as the method of data reduction.

Significantly, the above described data rate reduction methods allproduce reduced rate bit streams that remain compliant with the datastream format of the full rate bit stream. Accordingly, a receiver thatreceives a reduced rate bit stream produced by a digital VTR during longplay mode operation need not know that it is receiving a reduced ratebit stream to be able to decode and display the images represented bythe data in the bit stream.

Regardless of the data rate reduction method used to achieve the datareduction required to support long play mode VTR operation, when thedata rate is greatly reduced, e.g., by more than 40%, images that areproduced from the reduced rate data stream suffer not only from having alower resolution but also from compression artifacts. Accordingly,images produced from greatly reduced data streams suffer from blockingeffects and noise patterns that occur as a result of the compressionartifacts.

Compression artifacts result in patterned or colored noise. Suchpatterned noise is much more noticeable and objectionable to a viewerthan low resolution images or white noise which is without pattern.

As will be described below, if a receiver is aware that it is receivinga reduced rate bit stream from a digital VTR operating in long playmode, it may perform special video data processing to enhance thequality of the images generated from the reduced rate bit streamreceived from the digital VTR.

In one embodiment, a digital VTR implemented in accordance with thepresent invention generates one or more signals or commands which areincorporated into the reduced rate bit stream generated during long playmode VTR operation. These signals or commands serve to indicate to areceiver that it is receiving a reduced rate bit stream. The commandsgenerated by the VTR of the present invention may also instruct thereceiver to perform specific video data processing operation on thevideo data, in the reduced rate bit stream, to enhance the quality ofthe resulting images or frames generated therefrom.

In accordance with the present invention, when a receiver detects thatit is receiving a reduced rate bit stream generated by a VTR operatingin long play mode, or receives a command or signal indicating VTR longplay mode operation, the receiver performs image enhancement dataprocessing operations intended to compensate for the omission of datanormally found in the full rate data stream but intentionally omittedfrom the reduced data rate stream because of data constraints. Thus,once the receiver becomes aware that it is receiving data from a VTRoperating in long play mode, the receiver performs video data processingoperations to improve the quality, as it will be perceived by a viewer,of the video frames generated from the reduced rate bit stream.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, to reduceboth blocking effect and patterned noise in images generated from datareceived from a digital VTR operating in long play mode, the receiverperforms low pass filtering on the video data representing individualvideo frames before generating images therefrom.

The amount of low pass filtering performed to generate such datarepresenting any particular portion of an image is determined as afunction of the amount of data reduction that was performed by the VTRon the data. Accordingly, the data representing image portions that weresubject to higher amounts of data reduction will receive more lowpassfiltering than image portions upon which little or no data reduction wasperformed.

Another approach is to control the amount of lowpass filtering performedon the data representing any particular portion of an image as afunction of what position within a video frame the image data represent.For example, if the receiver detects that video data represent an edgeregion of a video frame where high data reduction is normally performed,a relatively high amount of low pass filtering may be performed. On theother hand, very little low pass filtering may be performed on datarepresenting the center portion of video frames where, in one embodimentof the present invention, relatively little data reduction is performedon video data representing this portion of a video frame.

Another method of improving subjective picture quality of imagesgenerated from the reduced rate bit stream produced during digital VTRlong play mode operation, is to use dithering. Dithering refers to theaddition of a small amount of uniformly distributed pseudo random noiseinto the video data representing portions, e.g., pixels or macroblocks,of each video frame before quantization. At display time, the samepseudo random sequence is subtracted from the output of a quantizercontained in a display device such as a receiver. While dithering willintroduce some noise into the displayed video frames it has the effectof whitening the noise thereby reducing the noticeability of noisepatterns resulting from data reduction.

Dithering may be used in conjunction with the second data reductionmethod described above wherein requantization is used to generate thereduced rate bit stream. In accordance with such an embodiment, the DCTcoefficients of the full rate bit stream are first inverse quantized.Then, a pseudo random dither pattern is added to them. Next,requantization with a higher quantization scale factor is performed, andthe resulting video data are variable length encoded into e.g.,codewords, to form the reduced rate bit stream.

During playback operation, a decoder within the receiver reverses thisoperation. The decoder first performs inverse quantization on thereceived reduced rate bit stream. Next the decoder subtracts the pseudorandom dither pattern from the DCT coefficients produced by performingthe inverse quantization step. This video data are then used during longplay mode playback operation to produce images which will have lessobjectionable noise patterns as compared to those that would haveresulted without the use of dithering.

The above data rate reduction methods provide several methods that canbe used either alone or in combination to generate a reduced rate bitstream suitable for use during long play modes of digital VTR operation.In addition, the above image enhancement techniques provide methods forimproving the quality of the images generated from such a reduced ratebit stream. However, this alone is not enough to support long play modeVTR operation.

Operating a VTR at the lower data rate made possible by the above datareduction techniques is only useful in achieving long play modeoperation if the linear data density of the tape remains the same asthat achieved when operating at the data rate of the full rate bitstream that is recorded during standard mode VTR operation. In otherwords, in order to implement a long play mode of VTR operation, adigital VTR must be able to record the reduced rate bit stream at thesame tape data density as the full rate bit stream is normally recordedon the tape. For example, a digital VTR may be capable of recording 10MB/s for 3 hours on a fixed length of tape during standard playrecording operation, i.e. when recording a full rate bit stream. If,using one of the above data reduction techniques this data rate isreduced to 5 MB/s, the VTR must be capable of recording the same amountof data on the fixed length of tape if recording time is to be doubledto achieve six hours of recording time, during long play operation.

Set forth below are five recording methods, in accordance with thepresent invention, for achieving the same tape data density during longplay operation as is achieved during normal play operation. Each of themethods achieves this result while operating the VTR headwheel to rotateat the same rate it rotates during standard play operation and by movingthe tape at a reduced rate.

The first method of supporting a reduced data rate while maintaining thesame data density as used during standard play operation will now bedescribed with reference to FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a head cylinder alsoreferred to as a headwheel 100 with four heads 110, 112, 114, 116distributed uniformly on the headwheel 100. The heads are of alternatingazimuth, with heads 110 and 114 being of a positive azimuth and heads112, 116 being of a negative azimuth. The headwheel 100 and the heads110, 112, 114, 116 may be used in a digital VTR in accordance with thepresent invention as will now be described.

During standard play recording operation, the data from the full ratebit stream are recorded using all four heads 110, 112, 114, 116. Sincethe heads 110, 112, 114, 116 are of alternating azimuth, the requirementthat adjacent tracks be of alternate azimuth for recording on a tape issatisfied.

Using such a headwheel and head arrangement, wherein there are H headsof alternating azimuth evenly distributed around a headwheel, andwherein H is a positive even integer, there are many different reduceddata rates that are possible while maintaining the same data density onthe tape and speed of headwheel rotation.

Generally, when a digital VTR has any even number of heads ofalternating azimuths uniformly distributed around a headwheel such asthe headwheel 100, reduced data rates of 1/n are possible, where n isany odd positive integer greater than one. Recording at a data rate of1/n is achieved by performing the steps of:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/n^(th) the normal tape speed.

3. Recording data the first time one of the H heads passes over thetape.

4. Waiting the next (n-1) times one of the H heads passes over the tapebefore recording data again.

5. Recording data the next time one of the H heads passes over the tape.

6. Repeating steps 4 and 5.

Because in this embodiment the heads are of alternate azimuths, and dataare not written for an even number of head passes over the tape, at adata rate of 1/n^(th) the full bit stream data rate the tracks that arewritten will be of alternating azimuths as required.

A specific example of this first method of recording data at a reducedrate will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 5a-5e. Forpurposes of this example, assume that the headwheel 100 with 4 heads ofalternating azimuth uniformly distributed around the headwheel 100 isbeing used to implement long play operation using a reduced bit streamdata rate 1/3 the full data rate. In accordance with the above recordingmethod, H=4 and n=3 for the following example. The recording steps thatare to be performed in accordance with the above method are as follows:

1. Rotating the headwheel 100 at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/3^(rd) the normal tape speed.

3. Recording data the first time one of the heads (e.g., when head one110) passes over the tape.

4. Waiting until the next two heads (e.g., heads two and three 112, 114)pass over the tape before recording data again.

5. Recording data the third time a head (e.g., head four 116) passesover the tape.

6. Waiting until the next two heads (e.g., heads one and two 110, 112)pass over the tape.

7. Continue alternating between the recording and waiting steps.

Referring now to FIGS. 5a-5b, there is illustrated a representation of atape 200 and the areas of the tape that will be passed over by each ofthe four heads 110, 112, 114, 116 as the headwheel 100 rotates and thetape move around the headwheel at 1/3 its normal linear speed.

As illustrated in FIG. 5a the tape 200 initially starts out in steps 1and 2 of the above example completely blank.

Next, in step 3, referring now to FIG. 5b, head one 110 passes over, andrecords data in, the segment of the tape 200 indicated by referencenumeral 300. Because the tape 200 is moving at only one third itsstandard play linear rate, head two 112 will pass over two thirds ofsegment 300 as illustrated in FIG. 5c and over one third of the nextblank tape segment 400. Similarly, because of the reduced tape speedhead three 114 will pass over one third of the tape segment 300 and twothirds of the blank tape segment 400 as illustrated in FIG. 5d.

In order to prevent recording over the data already recorded in tapesegment 300 no data are re corded, in accordance with step 4, when headtwo and three 112, 114 pass over the tape 200. However, as head four 116passes over the blank tape segment 400, as illustrated in FIG. 5e dataare recorded in accordance with step 5.

The above process of waiting until a head passes over a complete blanktape segment will then be repeated. This insures that data are recordedover the full length of the tape at the reduced data rate whilemaintaining the same tape data density and headwheel rotation speed asused during standard play operation. Accordingly, in this example, byusing a linear tape speed that is one third the standard linear tapespeed and by recording the data in the above described manner, it ispossible to record a reduced rate bit stream having a data rate onethird the full rate bit stream data rate, at the same tape data densityas used during standard play operation. Furthermore, this can beachieved using the same headwheel rotation speed as used during standardmode recording operation.

Generally, the first recording method is a method of operating a digitalvideo tape recorder to record on a tape a reduced rate! bit streamhaving a data rate of 1/n^(th) the data rate of a full rate bit stream,where n is an odd positive integer.

The first recording method can be used with a digital VTR including aheadwheel having an H number of heads of alternating azimuths uniformlydistributed around the headwheel, where H is an even positive integerand n is a positive odd integer. During standard play operation such avideo tape recorder rotates the headwheel at a preselected rotation rateand moves the tape at a preselected normal play tape speed whenrecording a full rate bit stream. The first method of the presentinvention for recording a reduced rate bit stream can be described, foruse with such a VTR embodiment, as comprising the steps of:

a) positioning the tape in close proximity to the headwheel;

b) moving the tape around the headwheel at a speed of 1/n^(th) thepreselected normal play tape speed;

c) rotating the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate, one of the Hheads beginning a pass over the moving tape during each (360/H) degreerotation of the headwheel, each of the H heads passing over the movingtape on a diagonal relative to the length of the tape once during eachcomplete 360 degree revolution of the headwheel;

d) passing a first one of the H heads over the tape for a first time bycontinuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;

e) controlling the first one of the H heads to commence recording datafrom the reduced rate bit stream on the tape as the first one of the Hheads begins to pass over the tape and to continue recording the data onthe tape until the first one of the H heads completes passing over thetape for the first time;

f) continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rateto rotate the headwheel 360(n-1)/H degrees from the point recording waslast commenced;

g) controlling the H heads to inhibit recording of data by any of the Hheads that begin to pass over the tape as the tape rotates theapproximately 360(n-1)/H degrees from the point recording was lastcommenced;

h) continuing to rotate the headwheel 360n/H degrees from the locationof the head last used to record data on the tape, at the preselectedrotation rate to pass a next one of the H heads, over the tape;

i) controlling the next one of the H heads to commence recording datafrom the reduced rate bit stream on the tape using the next one of the Hheads when the next one of the H heads begins to pass over the tape andto continue recording the data on the tape until the next one of the Hheads completes the pass over the tape;

j) repeating steps f through i.

The second method of recording data on a tape during long play digitalVTR recording operation will now be described with reference to FIG. 2.The second method may be viewed as an enhancement to the first method ofrecording data.

This method requires the use of a headwheel having heads located at Huniformly distributed locations on the headwheel, where H is an evennumber equal to or greater than two. Each one of the H locationscontains at least one head of alternating azimuth relative to theadjacent head locations on the headwheel. Accordingly, in this respect,the second recording method of the present invention uses a headwheelarrangement that is similar to that used in accordance with the firstrecording method. Thus, as described in regard to the first recordingmethod, this head arrangement can be used to support recording data at areduced data rate of 1/n where n is any odd positive integer greaterthan one.

However, to support recording at data rates of 2/Xh, where x is anypositive integer, in addition to reduced data rates of 1/n, a pair ofco-located heads, comprising heads of opposite azimuth, is located in atleast one of the H head locations. Each head in a pair of co-locatedheads travels over the same path as the other head in the pair ofco-located heads at almost exactly the same time.

A headwheel and head arrangement suitable for use in accordance withthis second method of recording a reduced rate bit stream is illustratedin FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a headwheel 400 may have, e.g.,four evenly distributed head locations each containing at least one head410, 412, 414, 416. Furthermore, one of the head locations contains asecond head 415 which results in a pair of co-located heads of oppositeazimuth being located in one of the four head locations.

Recording at a data rate of 2/xH times the data rate of the full ratebit stream is achieved by performing the following steps of:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 2/xH the normal linear tapespeed, where x is a positive integer, and H is the number of heads.

3. Recording data when the headwheel is at the position of at least onepair of co-located heads, using a head having an azimuth that isopposite that of the head located 180 degrees from the at least one pairof co-located heads when there is a single head located opposite the atleast one pair of co-located heads or using a head of the at least onepair of co-located heads having an arbitrary azimuth if there is a pairof co-located heads located opposite the at least one pair of co-locatedheads.

4. Waiting until (xH/2)-1 head locations have passed over the tape.

5. Recording data using a head at the next head location to pass overthe tape. If this head position is populated with a non-colocated head,the azimuth will be correct; if it is populated with a co-located head,use the azimuth that is opposite the previously recorded azimuth.

6. Repeating steps 4 through 5.

Using this method and a headwheel arrangement with four head positions,one of which contains a pair of co-located heads, as illustrated in FIG.2, recording at a reduced data rate of 1/2 the normal data rate can beachieved. Recording at 1/2 the normal data rate in such a system as theone illustrated in FIG. 2, where H equals four, is achieved byperforming the following steps:

1. Rotating the headwheel 400 at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/2 the normal tape speed.

3. Recording data using the head 3A 415 in the pair of co-located heads,which is of negative azimuth, when the pair of co-located heads 414, 415pass over the tape.

4. Recording data when head one 410, which is of positive azimuth and islocated on the headwheel directly opposite the pair of co-located heads,passes over the tape.

5. Repeating steps 3 and 4.

Generally, the second recording method is a method of operating adigital video tape recorder to record on a tape a reduced rate bitstream having a data rate of 2/xH the data rate of a full rate bitstream, where x is a positive integer greater than 2 and H is equal totwo, or where X is any positive integer when H is an even positiveinteger greater than 2.

The second recording method can be used with a digital video taperecorder which has: a headwheel having heads of alternating azimuthsuniformly distributed around the outer edge of the headwheel, at leastone head centered at each one of the H locations on the headwheellocated (360/H) degrees apart, at least one pair of co-located headslocated at at least one of the H locations, the at least one pair ofco-located heads including a first head of a first azimuth and a secondhead of a second azimuth, the one of the H locations located 180 degreesfrom the at least one pair of co-located heads containing a head of asecond azimuth. During standard mode VTR recording operation such avideo tape recorder rotates the headwheel at a preselected rotation rateand moves the tape at a preselected normal play tape speed whenrecording the full rate bit stream. Applying the second recording methodof the present invention to such a digital VTR the second method ofrecording the reduced rate bit stream may be described as comprising thesteps of:

a) positioning the tape in close proximity to the headwheel;

b) moving the tape around the headwheel at a speed of 2/xH thepreselected normal play tape speed;

c) rotating the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate, one of thehead locations beginning a pass over the moving tape during each (360/H)degree rotation of the headwheel, each of the H head locations passingover the moving tape on a diagonal relative to the length of the tapeonce during each complete 360 degree revolution of the headwheel;

d) passing the at least one pair of co-located heads over the tape for afirst time by continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselectedrotation rate;

e) controlling the first head of a first azimuth of the at least onepair of co-located heads to commence recording data from the reducedrate bit stream on the tape as the first head begins to pass over thetape and to continue recording the data on the tape until the first headcompletes passing over the tape;

f) continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rateto rotate the headwheel (360/H)(xH/2-1) degrees from the point recordingwas last commenced;

g) controlling the record heads to inhibit recording of data by any ofthe record heads that begin to pass over the tape as the tape rotatesthe (360/H)(xH/2-1) degrees from the point recording was last commenced;

h) continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rateto begin passing a next one of the head locations, located on theheadwheel (360x/2) degrees from the one of the recording locations wherethe head last used to record data on the tape is located;

i) controlling a next one of the heads located at the next one of therecord head locations and having an azimuth differing from the azimuthof the last head used to record data on the tape, to commence recordingdata from the reduced rate bit stream on the tape using the next one ofthe heads when the next one of the heads begins to pass over the tapeand to continue recording the data on the tape until the next one of theheads completes the pass over the tape;

j) repeating steps f through i.

A third method for recording a reduced rate bit stream at the same tapedata density that a full rate bit stream is recorded will now bedescribed. This third method is suitable for use with VTRs where thereare heads at only a single position of the VTR's headwheel 500, and thisposition is populated with a pair of co-located heads 502, 504 asillustrated in FIG. 3.

Before describing the third reduced data rate recording method of thepresent invention, a method of recording a full rate bit stream on atape using a single pair of co-located heads will be described withreference to FIG. 3. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a single pair ofco-located heads 502, 504 are mounted on the headwheel 500. The firsthead 502, referred to hereafter as head 1A 502, is of positive azimuth,while the second head in the head pair 504, referred to hereafter ashead 1B 504, is of negative azimuth.

Recording of a full rate bit stream using a single pair of co-locatedheads is performed as follows:

1. Rotating the headwheel 500 at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of one times normal tape speed.

3. Recording data on the tape using head 1A 502 when the pair ofco-located heads 502, 504 pass over the tape.

4. Recording data on the tape using head 1B 504 the next time the pairof co-located heads 502, 504 pass over the tape.

5. Repeating steps 3 and 4.

In accordance with the above method of recording a full rate bit streamon a tape using a single pair of co-located heads, tracks of alternatingazimuths will be recorded on the tape by alternating between recordingusing the head of a positive azimuth and the head of a negative azimuth.

Playback of a full rate bitstream using a headwheel assembly comprisinga single pair of co-located heads, as illustrated in FIG. 3, will now bedescribed with reference to FIG. 3. Playback of a full rate data streamusing a single pair of co-located heads may be performed as follows:

1. Rotating the headwheel, e.g., the headwheel 500, at the normal rateof rotation.

2. Running the tape at the normal linear tape speed.

3. Aligning the location of the single pair of co-located on theheadwheel with a track of positive azimuth recorded on the tape.

4. Reading data from the tape for inclusion in the full rate data streamusing head 1A, 502, when the single pair of co-located heads 502, 504pass over the tape.

5. Reading data from the tape for inclusion in the full rate data streamusing head 1B 504, when the single pair of co-located heads 502, 504next pass over the tape.

6. Repeating steps 4 and 5.

Recording a reduced rate bit stream having a data rate of 1/x^(th) thedata rate of the full rate bit stream, where x is a positive integer, ispossible by using the third recording method of the present invention.In accordance with the third recording method of the present invention arecording rate of 1/x^(th) the full rate is achieved using a headwheelwith a single pair of co-located heads by performing the followingsteps:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/x^(th) the normal tape speed,wherein x is a positive integer.

3. Recording data on the tape using a first head in the pair ofco-located heads located on the headwheel when the pair of co-locatedheads pass over the tape for the first time.

4. Rotating the headwheel (x-1) rotations without recording additionaldata on the tape.

5. Recording data using the second head in the pair of co-located headsmounted on the headwheel, the next time the pair of co-located heads ispositioned over the tape.

6. Rotating the headwheel (x-1) rotations without recording additionaldata on the tape.

7. Repeating steps 3 through 6.

For example, applying this method using the headwheel arrangementillustrated in FIG. 3, to record data at a data rate of 1/2 the datarate of a full rate bit stream, the following steps would be performed:

1. Rotating the headwheel 500 at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/2 the normal tape speed.

3. Recording data on the tape, using head 1A 502 in the pair ofco-located heads located on headwheel 500, when the pair of co-locatedheads 502, 504 pass over the tape for the first time.

4. Rotating the headwheel 500, one full rotation without recordingadditional data on the tape.

5. Recording data on the tape, using head 1B 504 in the pair ofco-located heads 502, 504 mounted on the headwheel 500, the next timethe pair of co-located heads 502, 504 is positioned over the tape.

6. Rotating the headwheel 500, one full rotation without recordingadditional data on the tape.

7. Repeating steps 3 though 6.

Generally, the third recording method can be used as a method ofoperating a digital video tape recorder to record, on a tape, a reducedrate bit stream having a data rate of 1/x^(th) the data rate of the fullrate bit stream, where x is a positive integer greater than one.

Recording method three can be used with a digital video tape recorderthat has a headwheel having a single pair of co-located heads mounted onthe outer edge of the headwheel, the single pair of co-located headsincluding a first head of a first azimuth and a second head of a secondazimuth. During standard VTR recording mode operation such a digital VTRrotates the headwheel at a preselected rotation rate and moves the tapeat a preselected normal play tape speed when recording a full rate bitstream. When applying the third method of the present invention to sucha digital VTR, the third method of recording the reduced rate bit streammay be described as comprising the steps of:

a) positioning the tape in close proximity to the headwheel;

b) moving the tape around the headwheel at a speed of 1/x^(th) thepreselected normal play tape speed;

c) rotating the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate, the singlepair of co-located heads passing over the moving tape on a diagonalrelative to the length of the tape once during each complete 360 degreerevolution of the headwheel;

d) passing the single pair of co-located heads over the tape bycontinuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;

e) controlling the second head to inhibit the second head from recordingdata while the single pair of co-located heads passes over the tape;

f) controlling the first head to record data from the reduced rate bitstream on the tape as the single pair of co-located heads pass over thetape;

g) passing the single pair of co-located heads over the tape (x-1) timeswithout recording data by continuing to rotate the headwheel at thepreselected rotation rate;

h) passing the single pair of co-located heads over the tape for anx^(th) time after the last pass over the tape during which data wasrecorded;

i) controlling the first head to inhibit the first head from recordingdata from the reduced rate bit stream on the tape while the single pairof co-located heads passes over the tape for the x^(th) time since thelast pass over the tape during which data was recorded;

j) controlling the second head to record data from the reduced rate bitstream on the tape while the single pair of co-located heads passes overthe tape for the x^(th) time since the last pass over the tape duringwhich data was recorded;

k) passing the single pair of co-located heads over the tape (x-1) timeswithout recording data by continuing to rotate the headwheel at thepreselected rotation rate; and

l) passing the single pair of co-located heads over the tape for anx^(th) time after the last pass over the tape during which data wasrecorded;

m) repeating steps e through l.

A fourth method of recording data at a reduced rate on a tape will nowbe described with reference to FIG. 8. This method is applicable todigital VTRs where at least every other head location on the headwheelis populated with a co-located head.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, a headwheel 800 may have, e.g., eight evenlydistributed head locations each containing at least one head 810, 812,814, 816, 818, 820, 822, 824. Furthermore, every other one of the headlocations contains a second head 811, 815, 819, 823 which results inpairs of heads of opposite azimuth being located in four of the eighthead locations.

Recording at a data rate of 1/x times the data rate of the full rate bitstream, where x is any positive integer, is achieved by performing thefollowing steps of:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/x the normal linear tapespeed, where x is any positive integer.

3. Recording data using one of the colocated heads that is locatedadjacent to a non-colocated head, using the azimuth that is oppositethat of the non-colocated heads or a head having an arbitrary azimuth ifall head locations contain co-located heads.

4. Waiting until x-1 head locations have passed over the tape.

5. Recording a track using a head located at the next head location topass over the tape. If this head is a non-colocated head, it will be ofthe correct azimuth, if this is a co-located head position, use theopposite azimuth from that recorded on the previous track.

6. Repeating steps 4 and 5.

Using this method and a headwheel arrangement with eight head positions,half of which contain a pair of colocated heads, as illustrated in FIG.8, recording at a reduced data rate of 1/10 the normal data rate can beachieved. Recording at 1/10 the normal data rate in such a system as theone illustrated in FIG. 8, where H equals 8, is achieved by performingthe following steps:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/10 the normal linear tapespeed.

3. Recording data using head 810 at positive azimuth.

4. Waiting until 9 heads have passed over the tape (1 full rotation ofthe headwheel plus an additional 45 degrees).

5. Recording a track using the next head 815. Since the previous trackwas written at positive azimuth, this track is written using negativeazimuth.

6. waiting until 9 heads have passed over the tape (1 full rotation ofthe headwheel plus an additional 45 degrees).

7. Recording a track using the next head.

8. Repeating steps 6 and 7.

Generally, the fourth recording method of the present invention can beused as a method of operating a digital video tape recorder to record areduced rate bit stream having a data rate of 1/x the data rate of afull rate bit stream on a tape, where x is a positive integer greaterthan one.

The fourth recording method can be used with a digital VTR that has aheadwheel having H head locations located on the headwheel 360/H degreesapart, where each of the odd numbered head locations contains a pair ofco-located heads including a first head of a first azimuth and a secondhead of a second azimuth, and each of the even numbered locationsincludes a head of the first azimuth. During standard mode VTR operationsuch a video tape recorder rotates the headwheel at a preselectedrotation rate and moves the tape at a preselected normal play tape speedwhen recording a full rate bit stream. When applying the fourth methodof recording a reduced rate bit stream to such a digital VTR, the fourthmethod of recording the reduced rate bit stream can be described ascomprising the steps of:

a) positioning the tape in close proximity to the headwheel;

b) moving the tape around the headwheel at a speed of 1/x thepreselected normal play tape speed;

c) rotating the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate, one of the Hhead locations beginning a pass over the moving tape during each (360/H)degree rotation of the headwheel, each of the H head locations passingover the moving tape on a diagonal relative to the length of the tapeonce during each complete 360 degree revolution of the headwheel;

d) passing a one of the odd numbered head locations over the tape bycontinuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;

e) controlling the second head located at the one of the odd numberedhead locations passing over the tape to commence recording of data fromthe reduced rate bit stream on the tape as the odd numbered headlocations begins to pass over the tape and to continue recording thedata on the tape until the one of the odd numbered head locationscompletes passing over the tape, while inhibiting the first head locatedat the one of the odd numbered head locations from recording on thetape;

f) continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rateto rotate the headwheel 360(x-1)/H degrees from the point recording waslast commenced;

g) controlling the record heads to inhibit recording of data by any ofthe heads located in the H head locations that begin to pass over thetape as the tape rotates the 360(x-1)/H degrees from the point recordingwas last commenced;

h) continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rateto pass a next one of the H head locations located 360x/H degrees fromthe location of the head last used to record data on the tape, over thetape;

i) controlling the head of a differing azimuth from the azimuth of thehead last used to record data, located at the next one of the H headlocations, to commence recording data from the reduced rate bit streamon the tape when the next one of the H head locations begins to passover the tape and to continue recording the data on the tape until thenext one of the H head locations completes the pass over the tape, whileinhibiting other heads at the next one of the H head locations fromrecording on the tape;

j) repeating steps f through i.

A fifth method of recording data at a reduced data rate on a tape willnow be described with reference to FIG. 4. This method is applicable todigital VTRs where every head location on the digital VTR's headwheel ispopulated with H heads of opposite azimuth that are centered one trackwidth apart from each other, where H is an even positive integer.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a headwheel arrangementsuitable for use in accordance with the fifth data recording method ofthe present invention. The headwheel assembly illustrated in FIG. 4includes a headwheel 600 with a single head location. In the embodimentof FIG. 4, H=8 and thus there are eight heads of alternating azimuthlocated one track width apart from each other. These heads include headsone through eight which are represented by the reference numerals 601,602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607 and 608, respectively. As illustrated, inthis embodiment, the odd numbered heads 601, 603, 605, and 607 are ofpositive azimuth while the even numbered heads 602, 604, 606 and 608 areof negative azimuth.

Using the headwheel arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4, eight tracks arerecorded on the tape during standard mode recording operation duringeach complete rotation of the headwheel. Since all the heads are used torecord data during standard play operation, and the heads 601-608 arelocated one track width apart the eight tracks are recorded with theproper track spacing and with alternating azimuths during eachrevolution of the headwheel 600 during standard mode recordingoperation.

Additional sets of heads, i.e., H heads of opposite azimuth may belocated at each of any plurality of uniformly distributed head locationson the headwheel 600. However, increasing the number of sets of headsmerely requires a corresponding decrease in the head rotation speed ascompared to when a single set of heads is used.

The discussion of recording method five of the present invention will bedescribed in terms of the case where there is a single set of H heads ofalternating azimuths located at a single location on the headwheel. Withsuch a head configuration there are two possible methods of recordingdata at a reduced data rate while maintaining the same tape data densityand headwheel rotation speed as used during standard mode VTR recordingoperation.

The first of these two methods which will be referred to as method 5arelies on skipping heads, e.g., using only selected heads for recordingoperations. The second recording method, referred to as method 5b,involves not recording during particular periods of headwheel rotation.

Recording method 5a will now be described. In accordance with thismethod recording a reduced rate! bit stream having a data rate of 2m/Htimes the data rate of the full rate bit stream is possible, where m isa positive integer between 1 and H/2, and where, as discussed above, His an even positive integer representing the number of heads located atany one particular location on a headwheel.

Recording at a data rate of 2m/H times the full data rate is achieved byperforming the following steps:

1. Rotating a headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 2m/H times the normal tapespeed, wherein H is an even positive integer representing the number ofheads located at a location on the headwheel and m is a positive integerbetween 1 and H/2.

3. Recording data on the tape using 2m adjacent heads on each pass ofthe heads over the tape.

For example, if a reduced rate bit stream had a data rate 3/4 the datarate of the full rate bit stream, the reduced rate bit stream could berecorded on a tape using the headwheel arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4by performing the following steps:

1. Rotating the headwheel 600 at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 3/4 times the normal tapespeed.

3. Recording data on the tape using six adjacent heads, e.g., head 1through head 6, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606 on each pass of the heads601 through 608 over the tape.

Generally, recording method 5a is! can be used as a method of operatinga digital video tape recorder to record on the tape a reduced rate bitstream having a data rate of (2m/H) times the data rate of the full ratebit stream, where m is a positive integer between 1 and H/2, and where His an even positive integer greater than 2.

Recording method 5a can be used with a digital VTR including a headwheelhaving a series of H heads of alternating azimuths, where each of the Hheads are centered one track width apart from each other and the seriesof H heads is located at a single location on the headwheel. Duringstandard mode digital VTR recording operation the digital video taperecorder rotates the headwheel at a preselected rotation rate and movesthe tape at a preselected normal play tape speed when recording the fullrate bit stream. When applying recording method 5a to such a digital VTRrecording method 5a for recording the reduced rate bit stream can bedescribed as comprising the steps of:

a) positioning the tape in close proximity to the headwheel;

b) moving the tape around the headwheel at a speed of (2m/H) times thepreselected normal play tape speed;

c) rotating the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate, each of theH heads in the series of H heads passing over the moving tape on adiagonal relative to the length of the tape once during each complete360 degree revolution of the headwheel;

d) passing the series of H heads over the tape by continuing to rotatethe headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;

e) controlling a set of 2m adjacent heads of the series of H heads torecord data from the reduced rate bit stream on the tape while the setof 2m adjacent heads pass over the tape and inhibiting the ones of the Hheads not included in the set of 2m adjacent heads from recording dataon the tape while the series of H heads passes over the tape;

f) continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rateto rotate the headwheel 360 degrees from the point where the set of Hheads began to pass over the tape;

g) repeating steps d through f.

Recording method 5b will now be described. In accordance with recordingmethod 5b, recording at a reduced! data rate of 1/p times the data rateof a full rate bit stream is possible, where p is a positive integer,using a headwheel arrangement wherein a plurality of H heads ofalternating azimuth are located at a head location on a VTR headwheel.In accordance with this method, recording at a data rate of 1/p timesthe standard data rate is achieved by performing the following steps:

1. Rotating a headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/p times the normal tapespeed, wherein p is a positive integer.

3. Recording data on the tape using all the heads on the headwheel oncefor every p rotations of the head wheel.

For example, to achieve recording at a reduced data rate of 1/2 the datarate of a full rate bit stream using the headwheel 600 of FIG. 4, thefollowing steps are to be performed:

1. Rotating the headwheel 600 at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/2 times the normal tapespeed.

3. Recording data on the tape using all the heads 601, 602, 603, 604,605, 606, 607, 608 on the headwheel once for every 2 complete rotationsof the headwheel 600.

Generally, recording method 5b is! can be used as a method of operatinga digital video tape recorder to record on the tape a reduced rate bitstream having a data rate of (1/p) times the data rate of a full ratebit stream, where p is a positive integer greater than one.

Recording method 5b can be used with a digital VTR including a headwheelhaving a series of H heads of alternating azimuths, where each of the Hheads are centered one track width apart from each other and the seriesof H heads is located at a single location on the headwheel. Duringstandard VTR recording mode operation the digital video tape recorderrotates the headwheel at a preselected rotation rate and moves the tapeat a preselected normal play tape speed when recording the full rate bitstream. When applying recording method 5b to such a digital VTR, method5b of recording a reduced rate bit stream on a tape, may be described ascomprising the steps of:

a) positioning the tape in close proximity to the headwheel;

b) moving the tape around the headwheel at a speed of (1/p) times thepreselected normal play tape speed;

c) rotating the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate, the seriesof H heads passing over the moving tape on a diagonal relative to thelength of the tape once during each complete 360 degree revolution ofthe headwheel;

d) passing the series of H heads over the tape by continuing to rotatethe headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;

e) controlling the H heads in the series of H heads to record data fromthe reduced rate bit stream on the tape while the series of H headspasses over the tape;

f) passing the series of H heads over the tape (p-1) times withoutrecording data on the tape by continuing to rotate the headwheel at thepreselected rotation rate;

g) passing the series of heads over the tape for a p time after the lastpass over the tape during which data was recorded;

h) controlling the H heads in the series of H heads to record data fromthe reduced rate bit stream on the tape while the series of H headspasses over the tape for the p time since the last pass over the tapeduring which data was recorded; and

i) repeating steps f through h.

Recording methods 5a and 5b can be combined to provide recording atvarious reduced data rates. The general reduced data rate at which datacan be recorded when such a combination is employed, is expressed by thegeneral equation 2m/Hp where m, H and p refer to the values definedabove in regard to recording methods 5a and 5b.

For example, methods 5a and 5b can be combined and used in conjunctionwith the headwheel arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4. If such acombination is made recording at a reduced data rate of 3/8 the datarate of a full rate bit stream can be achieved by using six adjacentheads out of the eight heads illustrated in FIG. 4, to support areduction in the recording rate of 3/4, and by recording data using thesix heads only on every other rotation of the head wheel 600. Thisrecording on only every other rotation of the heads supports a furtherreduction of the data rate by 1/2.

Accordingly, by combining these two recording methods recording at 3/8the standard data rate is achieved (3/8=3/4*1/2) when the tape is run at3/8 the normal tape speed and the headwheel is rotated at the normalheadwheel speed of rotation.

Such headwheel arrangements are particularly well suited for use indigital VTRs designed for recording HDTV because such a head arrangementpermits multiple tracks, i.e., H tracks, to be recorded simultaneouslyon a tape. This provides a convenient method of supporting the high datarates that are necessary for recording digital HDTV transmissions.

The above methods of recording a full rate bit stream and a reduced ratebit stream may be employed to produce a VTR that can receive and recorddata streams having different data rates. In such an embodiment, thehighest rate data stream the digital VTR is designed to receive would betreated as the full rate data stream. Data streams having a lower datarate than the full rate data stream would be treated as a reduced ratedata stream and would be recorded in accordance with the above describedmethods for recording reduced rate data streams.

While the above described recording methods are described in terms ofrecording a reduced rate bit stream and a full rate bit stream, it is tobe understood that the applicability of these recording methods is notlimited to the case where a digital VTR generates a reduced rate bitstream from a received bit stream. The reduced data rate recordingmethods of the present invention may be used by a digital VTR to recorddata streams of different data rates that are received by a digital VTRof the present invention. In such a case, where the digital VTR receivesbit streams of multiple data rates, the highest data rate the digitalVTR is designed to record at is to be treated as the full data rate withall bit streams having a lower data rate are to be treated, by thedigital VTR, as reduced rate bit streams.

For example, a digital VTR in accordance with the present inventioncould be designed to receive a first bit stream having a first data rateand a second bit stream having a data rate that is lower than the datarate of the first bit stream. In such a case, the first bit stream wouldbe considered the full rate bit stream and the second bit stream thereduced rate bit stream. The second bit stream may be recorded using oneof the above described recording methods of the present invention.

In addition to the above methods of recording a reduced rate bit streamon a tape, the present invention is also directed to methods of readingback data from a tape at less than the maximum data rate possible for agiven head configuration. The playback methods of the present inventionmay be used to read back previously recorded from a tape at data ratethat is a fraction of the full or maximum data rate possible. In thecontext of referring to VTR playback circuits in this patentapplication, the phrase full playback data rate is used to refer to themaximum data rate that can be read from a tape when rotating aheadwheel, having the particular head arrangement being referred to, ata preselected rate of rotation and when moving the tape at a preselectednormal play tape speed.

It should be noted that the phrase "pre-recorded data" is used to referto data that was previously recorded on the tape in a series of tracksof alternating azimuths.

During standard playback operation of each of the video tape recordersdescribed with regard to playback operation, the video tape recordersrotate the headwheel at a preselected rate of rotation and move the tapeat a preselected standard play tape speed when reading pre-recorded dataat the full data rate. The preselected rotation rate and preselectednormal play tape speed supported by each digital VTR are, as with thecase of the recording methods, a matter of design choice whenimplementing a digital VTR.

A first method for reading data which will now be referred to asplayback method one, can be used with a digital VTR including aheadwheel having an H number of heads of alternating azimuths uniformlydistributed around the headwheel, where H is an even positive integer.During standard playback operation such a video tape recorder rotatesthe headwheel at a preselected rotation rate and moves the tape at apreselected normal play tape speed when reading pre-recorded data at thefull data rate.

Playback method one of the present invention is a method for readingpre-recorded data at a data rate of 1/n^(th) the data rate of the fullrate bit stream where n is a positive odd integer. Playback method oneof the present invention for reading pre-recorded data from a tape at areduced data rate can be described as comprising the steps of:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the preselected rate of rotation.

2. Moving the tape around the headwheel at a linear speed of 1/n^(th)the preselected standard play tape speed.

3. Aligning the H heads with the pre-recorded tracks on the tape suchthat a one of the H heads is aligned with a track of the same azimuth asthe one of the H heads.

4. Reading pre-recorded data from the tape whenever any of the H headspass over the tape.

5. Commencing to select data read from the tape by the one of the Hheads, as the one of the H heads begins to pass over the tape, forinclusion in the reduced rate data stream and continuing to select, forinclusion in the reduced rate data stream, data read by the one of the Hheads while the one of the H heads continues to pass over the tape.

6. Continuing to rotate the headwheel 360(n-1)/H degrees from the pointselection of data for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream was lastcommenced, while excluding from the reduced rate data stream data readby any of the H heads that begin to pass over the tape while theheadwheel rotates the 360(n-1)/H degrees.

7. Continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rate ofrotation to reach a next one of the H heads located 360(n)/H degreesfrom the head that read the data that was last selected for inclusion inthe reduced rate data stream.

8. Commencing to select data read from the tape by the next one of the Hheads, as the next one of the H heads begins to pass over the tape, forinclusion in the reduced rate data stream and continuing to select, forinclusion in the reduced rate data stream, data read by the next one ofthe H heads while the next one of the H heads continues to pass over thetape.

9. Repeating steps 6 through 8.

In general terms, playback method one may be described as comprising thefollowing steps:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/n^(th) the normal tape speed,where n is any positive odd integer.

3. Reading data whenever one of the H heads passes over the tape.

4. Aligning the heads and tape such that a one of the heads is alignedwith a track of the same azimuth as the one of the heads.

5. Selecting data read by the one of the heads for inclusion in thereduced rate data stream.

6. Ignoring data read from the tape by the next (n-1) heads to pass overthe tape.

7. Selecting data, read from the tape by the next one of the H heads topass over the tape, for inclusion in the reduced rate bit stream.

8. Repeating steps 6 and 7.

A second method for reading data which will now be referred to as theplayback method 2, can be used with a digital VTR which has: a headwheelhaving heads of alternating azimuths uniformly distributed around aheadwheel, at least one head centered at each one of the H locations onthe headwheel located (360/H) degrees apart, at least one pair ofco-located heads located at at least one of the H locations, the atleast one pair of co-located heads including a first head of a firstazimuth and a second head of a second azimuth, the one of the Hlocations located 180 degrees from the at least one pair of co-locatedheads containing a head of a second azimuth.

Playback method two of the present invention is a method for readingpre-recorded data at a data rate of 2/xH the data rate of the fullplayback data rate, where x is a positive integer and H is an evenpositive integer. Playback method two of the present invention can bedescribed, as comprising the steps of:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the preselected rate of rotation.

2. Moving the tape around the headwheel at a linear speed of 2/xH thepreselected standard play tape speed.

3. Aligning the H heads with the pre-recorded tracks on the tape suchthat the at least one pair of co-located heads is aligned with a trackof the first azimuth.

4. Reading pre-recorded data from the tape whenever one of the headslocated in one of the H head locations passes over the tape.

5. Commencing to select data read from the tape by the first head of theat least one pair of co-located heads, as the at least one pair ofco-located heads begins to pass over the tape and continuing to select,for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream, data read by the firsthead of the at least one pair of co-located heads while the at least onepair of colocated heads continues to pass over the tape and excludingdata from the reduced rate data stream read by the second head of the atleast one pair of co-located heads while the at least one pair ofcolocated heads passes over the tape.

6. Continuing to rotate the headwheel (360/H)(xH/2-1) degrees from thepoint selection of data for inclusion in the reduced rate data streamwas last commenced, while excluding from the reduced rate data streamdata read by any of the heads located at the H head locations that beginto pass over the tape while the headwheel rotates the (360/H)(xH/2-1)degrees.

7. Continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rate ofrotation to reach a next one of the H head locations, located (360x/2)degrees from the head location that contains the head that read the datathat was last selected for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream.

8. Commencing to select data read from the tape by a next head locatedat the next one of the H head locations having an azimuth that differsfrom the azimuth of the head last used to read data selected forinclusion in the reduced rate data stream and continuing to select, forinclusion in the reduced rate data stream, data read by the next headwhile the next one of the H head locations continues to pass over thetape;

9. Repeating steps 6 through 8.

In general terms, playback method two may be described as comprising thefollowing steps:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 2/xH the normal tape speed,where x is a positive integer, and H is the number of heads.

3. Reading data whenever one of the H heads passes over the tape.

4. Aligning the heads and tape such that if there is one head locationthat contains only a single head, a colocated head of the oppositeazimuth from the single head located 180 degrees from the single head isaligned with a track of the azimuth that is opposite the azimuth of thesingle head. However, if all head locations contain co-located heads, acolocated head is aligned with a track of the same azimuth as thecolocated head.

5. Selecting data from the colocated head for inclusion in the reducedrate bit stream.

6. Ignoring data read from the tape by the next (xH/2)-1 head locationsto pass over the tape.

7. Selecting data read by the head located at the next head location forinclusion in the reduced data rate bit stream, using the azimuth that isopposite that of the previously included head.

8. Repeating steps 6 and 7.

A third method for reading data which will now be referred to as theplayback method 3, can be used with a digital VTR that has a headwheelhaving a single pair of co-located heads mounted on a headwheel, thesingle pair of co-located heads including a first head of a firstazimuth and a second head of a second azimuth.

Playback method three of the present invention is a method for readingpre-recorded data at a data rate of 1/x^(th) the data rate of the fulldata rate, where x is a positive integer. Playback method three of thepresent invention can be described, as comprising the steps of:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the preselected rate of rotation.

2. Moving the tape around the heedwheel at a linear speed of 1/x^(th)the preselected standard play tape speed, where x is a positive integer.

3. Aligning the single pair of co-located heads with one of thepre-recorded tracks of the first azimuth on the tape.

4. Reading pre-recorded data from the tape whenever the single pair ofco-located heads passes over the tape.

5. Passing the single pair of co-located heads over the tape bycontinuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rate of headwheelrotation.

6. Selecting data, for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream, readfrom the tape by the first head while the single pair of co-locatedheads passes over the tape and excluding data read by the second headwhile the single pair of co-located heads passes over the tape.

7. Continuing to rotate the headwheel to pass the single pair ofco-located heads over the tape x-1 times while excluding data read fromthe tape during the x-1 passes over the tape from being included in thereduced rate data stream.

8. Passing the single pair of co-located heads over the tape bycontinuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rate of headwheelrotation.

9. Selecting data, for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream, readfrom the tape by the second head while the single pair of co-locatedheads passes over the tape and excluding data read by the first headwhile the single pair of co-located heads passes over the tape.

10. Continuing to rotate the headwheel to pass the single pair ofco-located heads over the tape x-1 times while excluding data read fromthe tape during the x-1 passes over the tape from being included in thereduced rate data stream.

11. Repeating steps 5 through 10.

In general terms, playback method three may be described as comprisingthe following steps:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/x the normal tape speed,where x is a positive integer.

3. Reading data whenever the heads pass over the tape.

4. Aligning the head location of the pair of co-located heads with oneof the tracks of a first azimuth recorded on the tape.

5. Selecting data from the first head for inclusion in the reduced ratebit stream, while ignoring data read from the tape by the second head.

6. Ignoring data read from the tape during the next (x-1) rotations ofthe headwheel.

7. Selecting data read from the tape by the second head for inclusion inthe reduced data rate bit stream, while ignoring data read from the tapeby the first head.

8. Ignoring data read from the tape for the next (x-1) rotations of theheadwheel.

9. Repeating steps 5 through 8.

A fourth method for reading data which will now be referred to asplayback method four, can be used with a digital VTR that has aheadwheel having H head locations located on the headwheel 360/H degreesapart, where each of the odd numbered head locations contains a pair ofco-located heads including a first head of a first azimuth and a secondhead of a second azimuth, and each of the even numbered locationsincludes a head of the first azimuth.

Playback method four of the present invention is a method for readingpre-recorded data at a data rate of 1/x the full playback data rate,where x is a positive integer. Playback method four of the presentinvention can be described, as comprising the steps of:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the preselected rate of rotation.

2. Moving the tape around the headwheel at a linear speed of 1/x thepreselected standard play tape speed.

3. Aligning the heads and tape such that a one of the odd numbered headlocations is aligned with a tape track of the second azimuth.

4. Reading prerecorded data from the tape whenever any of the H headlocations pass over the tape.

5. Commencing to select data read from the second head of the one of theodd numbered head locations for inclusion in the reduced rate datastream and excluding data read by the first head of the one of the oddnumbered head locations from the reduced rate data stream while the oneof the odd numbered head locations passes over the tape.

6. Continuing to rotate the headwheel 360(x-1)/H degrees from the pointselection of data for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream was lastcommenced, while excluding from the reduced rate data stream data readby any of the H head locations that begin to pass over the tape whilethe headwheel rotates the 360(x-1)/H degrees.

7. Continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rate ofrotation to pass a next one of the H head locations located 360x/Hdegrees from the head location that contains the head that read the datathat was last selected for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream.

8. Commencing to select data read by a head of a differing azimuth fromthe azimuth of the head whose data was last selected for inclusion inthe reduced rate data stream, located at the next one of the H headlocations, and continuing to select the data from the head of adiffering azimuth while the next one of the H head locations completesthe pass over the tape;

9. Repeating steps 6 through 8.

In general terms, method four may be described as comprising thefollowing steps:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/x the normal tape speed,where x is any positive integer.

3. Aligning the heads and tape such that if at least one of the headlocations contains a single head a one of the co-located heads that islocated adjacent to the single head is aligned with a track on the tapehaving an azimuth opposite that of the adjacent single head, or if allhead locations contain co-located heads align one of the co-locatedheads with a track on the tape having an arbitrary azimuth.

4. Selecting data from the head aligned with the track for inclusion inthe reduced rate bit stream.

5. Ignoring data read from the tape by the heads located at the next(x-1) head locations to pass over the tape.

6. Selecting data read by the head having an azimuth opposite theazimuth of the head that read the data last included in the reduced ratedata stream, located at the next head location to pass over the tape forinclusion in the reduced data rate bit stream.

7. Repeating steps 5 and 6.

Another method for reading data which will now be referred to asplayback method 5a, can be used with a digital VTR that has a series ofH heads of alternating azimuths, where each of the H heads are centeredone track width apart from each other and the series of H heads islocated at a single location on the headwheel.

Playback method 5a of the present invention is a method for readingpre-recorded data at a data rate of (2m/H) times the data rate of thefull data rate, where m is a positive integer between 1 and H/2, andwhere H is an even positive integer. Playback method sa of the presentinvention can be described, as comprising the steps of:

1. Moving the tape around the heedwheel at a linear speed of 2m/H timesthe preselected standard play tape speed.

2. Rotating the headwheel at the preselected rate of rotation, each ofthe H heads in the series of H heads passing over the moving tape on adiagonal relative to the length of the tape once during each complete360 degree revolution of the headwheel.

3. Aligning a one of the H heads with one of the pre-recorded tracks onthe tape such that the one of the H heads is aligned with a pre-recordedtrack on the tape of the same azimuth as the one of the H heads.

4. Reading pre-recorded data from the tape whenever one of the H headspasses over the tape.

5. Continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rate to passthe series of H heads over the tape.

6. Commencing to select data read from the tape by a set of 2m adjacentheads of the series of H heads, as the series of H heads begins to passover the tape, for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream, andcontinuing to select, for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream,data read by the set of the 2m adjacent heads while the set of 2madjacent heads continues to pass over the tape.

7. Excluding data, read from the tape by the (H-2m) heads of the seriesof H heads not included in the set of 2m adjacent heads, from thereduced rate data stream.

8. Continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rate ofrotation to pass the series of H heads over the tape.

9. Commencing to select data, for inclusion in the reduced rate datastream, read from the tape by the set of 2m adjacent heads, as theseries of H heads begins to pass over the tape, and continuing toselect, for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream, data read by theset of the 2m adjacent heads while the set of 2m adjacent headscontinues to pass over the tape.

10. Excluding data read from the tape by the (H-2m) heads of the set ofH heads not included in the set of 2m adjacent heads from the reducedrate data stream.

11. Repeating steps 8 through 10.

In general terms, playback method 5a may be described as comprising thefollowing steps:

1. Rotating a headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 2m/H times the normal tapespeed, wherein H is a positive integer representing the number of headslocated at a location on the headwheel and m is a positive integerbetween 1 and H/2.

3. Aligning the heads and tape such that the heads are aligned with withtracks of the same azimuths.

4. Reading data with all of the H heads.

5. Selecting data, read by 2m adjacent heads on each pass of the headsover the tape for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream.

Another method for reading data which will now be referred to asplayback method 5b, can be used with a digital VTR that has a series ofH heads of alternating azimuths, where each of the H heads are centeredone track width apart from each other and the series of H heads islocated at a single location on a headwheel.

Playback method 5b of the present invention is a method for readingpre-recorded data at a data rate of (1/p) times the full playback datarate, where p and H are positive integers. Playback method 5b of thepresent invention can be described, as comprising the steps of:

1. Moving the tape around the heedwheel at a linear speed of 1/p timesthe preselected standard play tape speed, where p is a positive integer.

2. Rotating the headwheel at the preselected rate of rotation, each ofthe H heads in the series of H heads passing over the moving tape on adiagonal relative to the length of the tape once during each complete360 degree revolution of the headwheel.

3. Aligning a one of the H heads with one of the pre-recorded tracks onthe tape such that the one of the H heads is aligned with a pre-recordedtrack on the tape of the same azimuth as the one of the H heads.

4. Reading pre-recorded data from the tape whenever a head passes overthe tape.

5. Passing the series of H heads over the tape by continuing to rotatethe headwheel at the preselected rate of headwheel rotation.

6. Selecting data, for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream, readfrom the tape by the heads in the series of H heads when the series of Hheads passes over the tape.

7. Passing the series of H heads over the tape (p-1) times by continuingto rotate the headwheel at the preselected rate of headwheel rotation.

8. Excluding the data read from the tape by the heads in the series of Hheads, as the series of H heads passes over the tape the (p-1) timesfrom the reduced rate data stream.

9. Passing the series of H heads over the tape for a P^(th) time bycontinuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rate.

10. Selecting data, for inclusion in the reduced rate data stream, readfrom the tape by the heads in the series of H heads when the series of Hheads pass over the tape for the p^(th) time.

11. Repeating steps 7 through 10.

In general terms, playback method 5b may be described as comprising thefollowing steps:

1. Rotating the headwheel at the normal rate of rotation.

2. Running the tape at a linear speed of 1/p the normal tape speed,where p is a positive integer.

3. Aligning the heads and tape such that the heads are aligned withtracks of the same azimuths.

4. Selecting data from the heads for inclusion in the reduced rate datastream.

5. Ignoring data read from the tape for the next (p-1) rotations of theheadwheel.

6. Repeating steps 4 and 5.

Referring again to the drawings, and to FIG. 6 in particular, there isillustrated a digital VTR recording circuit according to the presentinvention, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. The VTRrecording circuit 10 comprises an antenna 12, a tuner 14, an long playdata processing circuit 16, a first switch 18, a data shuffling andframing circuit 22, and a tape speed motor control unit 24. In addition,the VTR recording circuit comprises a set of heads 26, and a pair oftape spindle wheels 30. The set of heads 26 are mounted on a headwheeland may be of any of the previously described headwheel arrangementsillustrated in FIGS. 1-4. A tape 28 is illustrated as passing around theheads 26 and between the pair of tape spindle wheels 30.

The VTR recording circuit 10 receives a full rate video signalcomprising both video and audio information via the antenna 12. Theantenna 12 is coupled to the input of the tuner 14. In this manner thetuner 14 is supplied with the analog video signal. The tuner 14 mayinclude an analog to digital converter in addition to other circuitryfor converting the analog video signal to a digital video/audio data bitstream comprising encoded video and audio data, e.g., video transportdata packets wherein each data packet may contain variable lengthencoded video codewords.

An audio/video data stream output of the tuner 14 is coupled to a firstinput of the switch 18 and a corresponding input of the long play dataprocessing circuit 16. The long play data processing circuit 16 receivesthe audio/video data bit stream output by the tuner 14 and processes thedata stream in accordance with one of the three data reduction methodsof the present invention to generate a reduced rate bit stream.

The long play data processing circuit 16 comprises a syntax parser 42that receives the video/audio data stream output by the tuner 14 via theinput of the long play data processing circuit 16. In addition to thesyntax parser 42, the long play data processing circuit 16 comprises avariable length decoder circuit 44, a requantizer circuit 46, aquantization scale factor reduction circuit 50, and a syntaxreconstruction circuit 48.

The syntax parser 42 receives the video/audio data bit stream from thetuner and parses the received bit stream to generate a quantizationscale factor signal indicative of the quantization scale of the receivedbit stream and further parses the bit stream to generate a parsed videodata bit stream.

A parsed video data bit stream output of the syntax parser 42 is coupledto a corresponding input of the variable length decoder 44. The variablelength decoder 44 decodes the parsed variable length encoded video bitstream into a stream of codewords. The codeword output of the variablelength decoder 44 is coupled to a corresponding input of the requantizercircuit 46.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the long play data processing circuit mayinclude a data selection circuit 45 for prioritizing and selecting datafrom the full rate bit stream to be incorporated into the reduced ratebit stream. The data selection circuit 45 may be used in place of therequantization scale factor circuit 50 and requantization circuit 46.Alternatively, it may be used in conjunction with these circuits. Insuch an embodiment, the data selection circuit 45 would be locatedbetween the variable length decoder 44 and requantizer circuit 46.

The quantization scale factor reduction circuit 50 receives thequantization scale factor generated by the syntax parser 42 as an inputsignal and generates a first and second output signal therefrom. A firstsignal output of the quantization scale factor reduction circuit 50 iscoupled to the input of the requantizer circuit 46 while a second signaloutput is coupled to an input of the Syntax reconstruction circuit 48.The quantization reduction circuit 50 stores information indicating howmuch the quantized scale factor of the received bit stream must beadjusted to achieve, through requantization, the amount of datareduction needed to generate the reduced rate bit stream.

The requantizer circuit 46 generates in response to the first signaloutput by the quantization reduction circuit 50, a reduced rate videodata codeword stream that is supplied to a corresponding input of thesyntax reconstruction circuit 48. The syntax reconstruction controlcircuit 48 receives the requantized video codeword data stream from therequantizer circuit 46 and a quantization scale factor control signalfrom the quantization scale factor reduction circuit 50. The syntaxreconstruction circuit 48 processes the received video codeword datastream to generate a video/audio data bit stream that complies with thesyntax constraints of the data format supported by the digital VTRrecording circuit 10. The requantized and reconstructed video/audio databit stream is supplied to the second input of the first switch 18.

The VTR command generator 20 receives, at a user command input, usercommands which indicate, e.g., the VTR speed mode of operation a userhas selected for VTR operation, for example, standard or long play modesof operation. These user commands may be input through, e.g., a VTRcontrol panel that is coupled to the VTR command generator 20. The VTRcommand generator generates VTR control signals that are used to controlthe VTR speed mode of operation. The control signal output of the VTRcommand generator 20 is coupled to a control signal input of the switch18, the tape speed motor control unit 24, and a recording mode signalinput of a recording control circuit 37.

As will be described below, the recording control circuit 37 receivesthe signal output by the VTR command generator 20 and the data from thefull or reduced rate bit stream that is to be recorded on the tape. Therecording control circuit 37 is responsive to the signal output by theVTR command generator to supply the set of heads 26 with the data to berecorded on the tape and to control the heads to record the data inaccordance with one of the above described recording methods when thesignal received from the VTR command generator indicates the VTRrecording circuit is operating in long play mode. Accordingly, the setof heads 26 are coupled to and controlled by the recording controlcircuit 37 to record data at the appropriate time as a function of theVTR mode of operation. Thus, for example, during long play modeoperation, only some of the heads comprising the set of heads 26 may beused for recording data while all of the heads comprising the set ofheads 26 may be used during standard play recording operation.

The switch 18 is responsive to the control signals received from the VTRcommand generator circuit 20 to couple either the normal play video databit stream received at its first input or the long play video/audio databit stream received at its second input to the input of the datashuffling and framing circuit 22. In this manner, VTR command generator20, in response to user commands, controls whether the full rate normalplay video bit stream or the reduced rate long play video data bitstream is supplied to the data shuffling and framing circuit 22 forrecording on the tape 28.

The data shuffling and framing circuit 22 comprises a VTR framing andECC circuit 40 and a data shuffling circuit 38. The input of the VTRframing and error correction code ("ECC") circuit 40 is coupled to theoutput of the switch 18. In this manner, the VTR framing and ECC circuit40 receives the selected standard or long play video/audio data bitstream which it arranges into a series of video data blocks whichcontain error correction coding in addition to video and/or audio data.

A video data block output of the VTR framing and ECC circuit 40 iscoupled to a corresponding input of the data shuffling circuit 38. Thedata shuffling circuit 38 reorders, i.e., shuffles, the video datablocks received from the VTR framing and ECC circuit 40 prior torecording on the video tape. The output of the data shuffling circuit 38is coupled to a data input of the recording control circuit 37. Therecording control circuit 37 is, in turn, coupled to the set of helicalscan heads 26 which are mounted on a headwheel. During VTR recordingoperation, the set of heads 26 are controlled by the recording controlcircuit 37 to record the video data blocks output by the data shufflingcircuit 38 on the tape 28 in accordance with one of the above describedrecording methods.

The VTR recording circuit's tape speed motor control unit 24 contains aplurality of tape speed motor control circuits with a separate tapespeed motor control circuit being provided for each tape speed supportedby the VTR recording circuit. Thus, the tape speed motor control unit 24contains K tape speed motor control circuits where k represents thenumber of normal play modes of VTR operation supported by the VTRrecording circuit. In the illustrated embodiment, the VTR recordingcircuit supports two tape speed modes of operation, i.e., standard playand long play. Accordingly, the tape speed motor control unit 24comprises a normal play tape speed motor control circuit 34 and a longplay tape speed motor control circuit 36.

The tape speed motor control unit 24 further comprises a switch 32 forcoupling the output of either the normal play tape speed motor controlcircuit 34 or the long play tape speed motor control unit 36 to the tapespindle wheels 30. The switch 32 has a control signal input coupled tothe output of the VTR command generator 20. Upon receiving a commandsignal indicating that the VTR is in normal play recording mode, theswitch 32 couples the normal play tape speed motor control circuit 34 tothe tape spindle wheels 30. In this manner, during normal play recordingoperation, the normal play tape speed motor control circuit 34 controlsthe speed of the tape spindles 30 and thus corresponding speed at whichthe tape moves around the heads 26. However, during long play operation,the switch 32 will couple the output of the long play tape speed motorcontrol unit 36 to the tape spindles 30. Accordingly, during long playrecording operation, the speed of the tape spindles 30 will becontrolled to move the tape at the speed appropriate for long playoperation which will generally be some fraction of the normal play tapespeed.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is illustrated a digital VTR playbackcircuit according to the present invention generally indicated by thereference numeral 60. The VTR playback circuit 60 comprises a playbackdata processing circuit 62, a VTR speed mode sensor 66, a VTR tape speedmotor control unit 64, tape spindles 30 and a set of helical scan readheads 27. These heads 27 may be arranged in a variety of ways, e.g., asillustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and FIG. 8. As illustrated in FIG. 7, duringplayback operation, the tape 28 passes around the read heads 27 andbetween the tape spindles 30 as a result of the rotation of the tapespindles 30.

The read heads 27 are coupled to the input of the playback dataprocessing circuit 62 and the VTR speed mode sensor 66. By reading thedata recorded on the tape 28 the read heads 27 generate a video datastream that is supplied to the input of the playback data processingcircuit 62 and to the input of the VTR speed mode sensor 66 forprocessing. The VTR speed mode sensor 66 analyzes the data read from thetape to determine what particular speed mode of digital VTR operation,e.g., standard mode or long play mode of operation, the data is intendedto be played back at. The VTR speed mode sensor may determine thecorrect speed mode from, e.g., a speed mode indicator recorded on thetape along with the video data or by analyzing the data to determine ifthe recorded data contains less information for a series of video framesthan would be recorded if normal speed VTR operation was the intendedmode of VTR operation.

The VTR speed sensor 66 has a VTR speed mode signal output coupled to acontrol input of the tape speed motor control unit 64, a VTR dataprocessing command generator circuit 67, and a control circuit input ofthe heads 27. The VTR speed mode signal output may also be coupled tovarious other circuits within the VTR that require informationconcerning the VTR speed mode of operation, e.g., the playback dataprocessing circuit 62.

The VTR command generator determines the mode in which the VTR isoperating from the VTR speed mode signal. During long play modeoperation the VTR command generator generates a signal indicating thatthe VTR is operating in long play mode. It may also generate commandsinstructing the receiver to perform video data processing on the datareceived during long play mode VTR operation to enhance the quality ofthe images generated by the receiver. The output of the VTR commandgenerator 67 is coupled to a VTR command output terminal and/or thevideo/audio data bit stream output of the playback data processingcircuit 62. Accordingly, a receiver coupled to the digital VTR playbackcircuit 62 of the present invention can receive a VTR mode signal and/orcommands output by the VTR command generator 67 from either thevideo/audio data bit stream or from the VTR command output terminal 69.

The playback data selection circuit 65 is coupled to the outputs of boththe set of heads 27 and the VTR speed mode sensor 66. Using the signalreceived from the VTR speed mode sensor 66, and information stored inthe playback data selection circuit 65 concerning which of the headsthat comprise the set of heads 27 are used during each mode of VTRoperation supported by the VTR playback circuit 60, the playback dataselection circuit 65 selects which heads will be used to supply data tothe playback data processing circuit 62 at any given time.

The tape speed motor control unit 64 comprises a switch 68 and a seriesof k tape speed motor control circuits, where k corresponds to thenumber of normal play modes of operation supported by the VTR playbackcircuit 60 and wherein each tape speed motor control unit controls thetape spindle speed during a different VTR speed mode of operation. Forexample, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the tape speed motorcontrol unit 64 comprises a normal play tape speed motor control circuit70 and a long play tape speed motor control unit 72.

The switch 68 has a first input terminal coupled to the output of thenormal play tape speed motor control circuit 70 and a second inputterminal coupled to the output of the long play tape speed motor controlunit 72. In addition, the output of the VTR speed mode sensor 66 iscoupled to a control input of the switch 68.

The switch 68 is responsive to the signal output by the VTR speed modesensor 66 couples the output of the appropriate one of the tape speedmotor control circuits 70, 72 to the tape spindles 30 so that the tapespindles 30 are controlled to rotate at a speed that will move the tape28 at the proper speed for reading data from the tape 28.

The playback data processing circuit 62 comprises a data unshufflingcircuit 74 and a bit stream reformatter circuit 76. The output of theset of read heads 27 is coupled to the input of the data unshufflingcircuit 74. The data unshuffling circuit in turn has an output coupledto the input of the bit stream reformatter circuit 76. The dataunshuffling circuit 74 receives the data read from the tape 28 andunshuffles the data blocks which are then supplied to the bit streamreformatter 76. The bit stream reformatter uses the ECC bits adapted bythe VTR framing and ECC circuit at recording time 40 to correct errorthat occurred during the recording and reading of the data and alsoconverts the blocks of data into a video/audio data bit stream formatthat can be readily processed and displayed by a display device, e.g., avideo monitor or television set.

Generally, the VTR playback circuit of the present invention functionsin a conventional manner during standard playback modes of operation.That is, the tape 28 is moved around a portion of the headwheel uponwhich the set of read heads 27 are mounted at the normal play tape speedwith the tracks on the tape being aligned with the rotating heads 27using a conventional servo mechanism. Data read from the tape 28, usingthe set of read heads 27, is supplied to the playback data processingcircuit 60.

During long play modes of playback operation, the VTR speed mode sensor66 determines the particular long play mode of operation supported bythe playback circuit 60 that corresponds to the mode the data on thetape is intended to support. The appropriate long play tape motorcontrol 72 is then selected by the VTR speed mode sensor 66 to controlthe speed of the tape spindles 30 and thus the speed of the tape 28 suchthat the tape will move at the appropriate speed which is some fractionof the normal play tape speed.

Because the playback data selection circuit 65 is informed by the speedmode sensor of the long play mode in which the VTR is operating, it isable to determine which of the heads that comprise the set of heads 27should be used to read back the recorded data.

A conventional servo mechanism is used to align the recorded tracks onthe tape 28 with the heads in the set of heads 27 that the playback dataselection circuit 65 determines are to be used to read back the reducedrate data stream recorded on the tape 28.

The set of read heads 27, may comprise, e.g., a plurality of read headsarranged as illustrated in any of FIGS. 1-4 and FIG. 8. The methods ofthe present invention for reading reduced rate bit streams recorded on atape for each of the head arrangements illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and 8are described above in greater detail.

The data recording and reduction methods described above can be used tosupport one or more LP recording modes for recording HDTV and SDTVsignals. In addition, they can be used to implement a digital VTRcapable of recording a HDTV signal and/or a SDTV signal. In such a case,if the HDTV signal and SDTV signal were fixed rate signals, the VTR ofthe present invention would record the HDTV signal as a full rate signaland the SDTV signal as a reduced rate signal but without performing anydata reduction on the SDTV signal. HDTV and SDTV long play modes ofoperation may also be supported by performing data reduction on thesignals before recording.

As discussed above, it is expected that SDTV signals, which are likelyto have a maximum instantaneous data rate lower than the data rate of afixed rate HDTV signal, may have variable transmission data rates. Inthe case where a received signal is a variable rate signal, the receivedsignal should be converted to a fixed rate signal prior to recordingsince recording is performed at a fixed rate.

Various methods can be used to convert a SDTV signal to a fixed ratesignal for example, buffering over long periods of time to smoothchanges in the data rate may be used prior to recording. However, suchan approach has the drawback of requiring relatively large data bufferswhich may be expensive to implement because of the current cost ofmemory.

Another approach to recording a variable rate SDTV signal is to use aVTR which has a recording rate that matches or exceeds the maximuminstantaneous data rate and to pad the received data to insure that therecorded data rate will be constant and equal to the recording rate ofthe VTR. Such an approach has the drawback of wasting recording tape inthe sense that filler data is recorded on the tape. However, thisapproach is relatively easy to implement. In the case of HDTV VTRs wherethe recording rate of the VTR is designed to match the HDTV data rate,the VTRs recording rate will equal or exceed the maximum instantaneousdata rate of an SDTV signal. Accordingly, It is possible to record SDTVsignals having a fixed or variable transmission data rate using a HDTVVTR by padding the received data to bring the rate of the received dataplus the padded data upto the recording rate of the HDTV VTR. However,as discussed above, such an approach while being easy to implement canresult in the wastage of substantial amounts of video tape.

Various approaches of the present invention to converting a variablerate data signal to a fixed rate data signal suitable for recording on atape by a VTR will now be discussed with reference to FIG. 9.

Referring now to FIG. 9, there is illustrated a VTR recording circuit900 capable of recording SDTV signals, e.g., transmitted at a variabledata rate, and/or a HDTV signal. The VTR recording circuit 900illustrated in FIG. 9, contains many elements that are the same as orsimilar to the elements of the recording circuit illustrated in FIG. 6.Elements that are the same or similar are numbered the same in bothFIGS. 6 and 9 and will not be described again in detail.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the output of the tuner 14 is coupled to aninput of a VTR mode control circuit 920, a buffer control circuit 901, adata buffer 902, and a second input of a switch 918. In this manner, thevideo/audio data bit stream output by the tuner is supplied to each ofthe elements coupled thereto.

The buffer control circuit 901 monitors the rate of the data supplied tothe data buffer 902 and generates a data rate information signal whichis used to control the data buffer output rate and the operation of thedata reduction/padding circuit 904.

The data buffer 902, as will be discussed below, is used to temporallystore the received signal, e.g., SDTV data, so that the rate of thereceived data video/audio data bit stream can be determined andcontrolled.

A data output of the data buffer 902 is coupled to the input of a datareduction/padding circuit 904. The data rate reduction/padding circuit904 uses the data rate information received from the buffer controlcircuit 901 to generate a fixed rate data stream from the receivedvideo/audio data bit stream which may be of a variable data rate. Afixed rate data output of the data reduction circuit 904 is coupled tothe first input of the switch 918. When multiple recording rates lessthan the maximum data rate are supported by the VTR recording circuit900, a mode control signal is supplied to the data reduction circuit 904from the VTR mode control circuit 920 so that the data reduction circuitis informed as to the mode the VTR is operating in so that it cancontrol the data rate to be the fixed rate at which data is to berecorded during the particular mode of VTR operation.

In one embodiment of the present invention, rather than use a switch 918as illustrated in FIG. 9, both HDTV and SDTV received data is passedthrough the data buffer 902 and data reduction/padding circuit 904. Insuch an embodiment, the data reduction/padding circuit merely passesfixed rate HDTV data but processes SDTV data, e.g., to generate a fixedrate data stream therefrom.

The VTR mode control circuit 920 receives user commands, indicating,e.g., that the VTR should operate in a particular mode of operation,e.g., one of a plurality of long play modes of operation. In addition,the user commands may be used to instruct the VTR to operate in either aHDTV recording mode or a SDTV recording mode of operation.

Alternatively, the VTR mode control circuit receives the video/audiobitstream output by the tuner 14 and monitors it to determine which modeof VTR operation is most appropriate to record the received bitstream,e.g., is selects the VTR mode of operation dynamically as a function ofthe rate of the received video/audio data bitstream.

The VTR mode control circuit 920 generates control signals which aresupplied to the switches 918 and 32 to insure that they are placed inthe correct position for the selected mode of VTR operation. It alsosupplies control signals to the buffer control circuit 901 and datareduction/padding circuit 904 to control them to operate in the selectedmode of VTR operation. For example, when data is being received at avariable data rate indicative of an SDTV data rate, the VTR mode controlcircuit 930 may control the data buffer 902 and data reduction/paddingcircuit 904 to output the received data at a fixed rate that correspondsto a recording rate that is supported by the VTR recording circuit 900but that is less than the recording circuit's maximum recording ratewhich is used, e.g., to record HDTV data.

With regard to the control of the switch 918, when the VTR mode controlcircuit 920 receives a command instructing it to operate in HDTV mode orselects that a HDTV VTR recording mode is the appropriate mode ofoperation, it controls the switch 918 to couple the output of the tunerdirectly to the input of the data shuffling and framing circuit 22thereby bypassing the data reduction circuit 904. In SDTV mode, on theother hand, the VTR mode control circuit controls the switch 918 so thatthe output of the data reduction circuit 904 is coupled to the input ofthe data shuffling and framing circuit 22.

Similarly, the VTR mode control circuit 920 operates to control theposition of the switch 32 to couple the output of the tape speed motorcontrol unit 924 to a second speed tape motor control circuit 936 duringHDTV operation and to a first speed tape motor control circuit 934during SDTV mode operation.

While not shown in FIG. 9, the tape speed motor control unit may containadditional tape speed motor control circuits to support one or moremodes of LP operation in addition to first and second recording modes ofoperation corresponding to a HDTV recoding mode and a SDTV recordingmode. In such an embodiment, the VTR mode control circuit is used tocontrol the switch 32 so that the correct tape speed motor controlcircuit is used to control the speed to the spindles 30.

As discussed above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the VTRmode control circuit 920 automaticly determines whether the VTR isoperating in SDTV mode or HDTV mode based on the data it receives fromthe tuner. For example, the VTR mode control circuit 920 can measure therate at which the data is output by the tuner. Alternatively, the VTRmode control circuit 920 may monitor headers included in the data outputby the tuner, i.e. headers in the transmitted data, for headerinformation indicating that the data rate will not exceed a particularmaximum data rate. Such header information may be included in the SDand/or HDTV data and can be used by the VTR mode control circuit 920 todetermine which mode of VTR recording operation should be used.

In the embodiment where an actual measurement of the data rate of thereceived signal is used to determine which recording mode is to be used,if the data rate of the received signal exceeds a predeterminedthreshold, e.g, which equals or exceeds the maximum instantaneous datarate of an SDTV signal for a preselected period of time, the VTR modecontrol circuit 920 determines that the VTR is operating in HDTV modesand controls the switches 918, 32 accordingly. Otherwise, the VTR modecontrol circuit operates in SDTV mode or another LP mode of operation.In such an embodiment, user commands may be used to override theautomatic selection of a mode of VTR operation to select a HDTV or SDTVlong play mode of operation.

Methods of using the VTR recording circuit 900, of the presentinvention, to record received data having a variable rate, will now bedescribed.

In the case of fixed bit rate MPEG transmission, e.g., fixed rate HDTVsignals, the bit rate is fixed for an entire sequence, and, inaccordance with MPEG-2, the bit rate is transmitted as part of thesequence header information contained in the transmitted data stream.When the various above described data reduction methods are applied tofixed rate transmissions, the input and desired data rates are known sothat the amount of data reduction is also known. For example, the amountof data reduction which must be performed on a received data stream isknown because the received signal has a known fixed data rate and theparticular recording mode of operation being used is known to support afixed recording rate with the difference in the received data rate andthe recording rate being the amount of data reduction that must beperformed assuming that little additional header or ECC information isadded to the data being recorded.

However, as discussed above, MPEG also allows for variable bit rate datatransmissions which may be used for, e.g., the transmission of SDTVsignals. In variable bit rate mode, the bit rate is not transmitted andthe bit rate of an MPEG signal is permitted to change instantaneously.

In accordance with the present invention, before applying data reductionmethods to a received signal the data rate of the input signal, e.g.,the signal output by the tuner 14, is calculated or estimated over apreselected time period to determine the amount of data reductionrequired to support a selected recording mode of VTR operation, i.e., arecording mode having a fixed recording data rate.

In accordance with the present invention, the average bit rate of areceived signal, for a preselected period of time, is calculated usingthe data buffer 902 to temporarily store the received data.

One method of the present invention for calculating the average bit rateof a received signal over a period of time uses the program clockreference signal present in the system layer of an MPEG-2 compliantsignal to set the period of time over which the bit rate is calculated.However, other clock signals and time periods may be used in accordancewith the present invention to determine the bit rate of a receivedsignal. The program clock reference signal is a signal which isincorporated into a video data signal being transmitted at fixedintervals, e.g., every 100 milliseconds. The data rate is determined bybuffering the data received in the program clock reference signalperiod, and measuring the amount of data received. The data rate is thendetermined as the amount of data received divided by the period of theprogram clock reference signal.

Once the bit rate of a received signal is known for a given time periodas a result of the buffering and data rate measurement operation, thebuffered data, now having a known bit rate, is processed for recordingon a tape by the data reduction circuit 904. The data reduction circuit904 is responsible for converting the buffered data into a fixed ratesignal having a data rate equal to the recording rate of the selectedmode of VTR operation. The data reduction circuit 904 performs datareduction, e.g., using one of the data reduction techniques describedabove, or data padding, to achieve the desired fixed output data rate.

In the described embodiment where received data is buffered for theduration of time in which the received data rate is being measured, thedata buffer 902 should be made large enough to store the maximum numberof bits that may be transmitted during the preselected period of time inwhich the bit rate is being measured. Thus, the size of the data buffer902, in such an embodiment, should be large enough to store the maximuminput bit rate permitted by the transmission standard times thepreselected period of time the data is being buffered for measurement ofthe bit rate. In such an embodiment, a new bit rate is determined foreach of the preselected data rate measurement time periods and theamount of data reduction and/or padding performed by the datareduction/padding circuit 904 is dynamically changed for the datareceived in each preselected time period.

As an alternative to the above described embodiment in which the databuffer 902 is used to store the data received in the preselected timeperiod before it is emptied, the data buffer 902 can be filled at theunknown input rate of the received bitstream and simultaneously emptiedat a known rate, e.g., a rate lower than or equal to the minimumanticipated data rate of an SDTV signal. Such an embodiment has theadvantage of reducing the size of the required buffer as compared to theembodiment where the buffer is not emptied until the end of thepreselected time period.

In such an embodiment where the data buffer 902 is emptied at a knownrate, to prevent underflow, the data buffer 902 is allowed to initiallyfill for a preselected period of time before data is emptied out at theknown rate in order to prevent underflow in the case that theinstantaneous input rate is below the output rate. The preselected timeused to initially fill the data buffer 902 should be long enough suchthat the data buffer 902 will be filled with at least as much data asthe difference between the output rate and the minimum input rate timesthe input data rate measurement time period.

In order to prevent data buffer overflow, the data buffer 902 should besized such that the space remaining in the data buffer 902 after it isinitially filed is the difference between the maximum data rate of thereceived signal and the known output data rate times the preselectedmeasurement time period less the time period.

Note that in the case of unconstrained MPEG-2 where there are noinstantaneous minimum and maximum defined data rates, i.e., where thebit rate of the transmitted signal can be zero for an indefinite time,to guarantee that buffer underflow will not occur it is necessary tobuffer the received data for the entire preselected period of time.

In order to reduce buffering requirements, as an alternative to usingthe actual measured data rate of the received signal for a preselectedtime period, an estimate of the data rate for a given time period couldbe used to control the data reduction/padding circuit 902. One option isto measure the data rate of the previously arrived time period and tothen use this as the estimate of the current data rate. More complicatedestimation techniques might also be used to take into account any knowndynamics of the bit stream being received as well as previous data ratevalues. The use of Kalman filtering offers one method capable of takinginto account several of these factors. Classical prediction algorithmscan also be applied to predict the received data rate. By usingpredicted values as opposed to actual data rate values to control theoperation of the data reduction/buffering circuit 904, data bufferingrequirements associated with measuring the actual data rate can beminimized.

In the case where the actual data rate, i.e., bit rate, for apreselected time period is calculated, e.g., using the bufferingprocesses described above, the bit rate of the signal output by thetuner 14 for a preselected time period can be represented by thevariable RP(t) while the recording rate of the selected VTR mode ofoperation can be represented by the symbol RR. If RP(t)<RR the datareduction/padding circuit can generate an output data stream forrecording on the tape having a bit rate RR by simply adding padding datato the received data. However, if RP(t)>RR the data reduction/paddingcircuit 902 must perform some either a data rate reduction or a datarate smoothing operation to generate an output signal having a fixeddata rate equal to RR. Data rate reduction may be performed by the datareduction/padding circuit 902 using any one of the numerous abovedescribed data rate reduction techniques.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, where thedata buffer 902 acts as a constant delay in which the data rate iscalculated for the preselected time period, for any preselected timeperiod in which RP(t)>RR, the data received in the time period t isreduced using data reduction methods to the amount (RR * the preselectedtime period) so that the fixed output data rate of the data reductionand padding circuit 904 is RR. In any time period t where RP<=RR, nodata reduction is performed.

In order to support the above described embodiment, a buffer having asize RP_(max) *T, where T is the preselected time period over which thedata rate RP is measured, is required. As a result, longer measurementtime periods, T, require the use of a larger data buffer 902 than isrequired by the use of smaller measurement time periods. While longerdata rate measurement time periods result in increased bufferrequirements, the longer buffering periods have the advantage ofreducing the overall data rate variations between time periods becausebrief variations in the data rate are less likely to have a substantialimpact on the data rate measured over a long time period. This decreasein the data rate differences between time periods is likely to result inless data rate reduction and hence better picture quality.

Because the data rate tends to vary greatly for different frames withinan MPEG Group-of-Pictures ("GOP"), and tends to vary less betweenconsecutive complete GOPs, it is desirable for the size of the databuffer 902 to be at least as large as a GOP. For example, if S=15, whereS represents the number of frames in a GOP, and the maximum input datarate is 12 Mbps the data buffer size should be at least 6 MBits assumingan input rate of 30 frames/second so that the data buffer 902 can storean entire GOP.

While the above described method of generating a fixed rate bitstreamfor recording on a tape should produce satisfactory effects, in order toreduce the amount of data that is lost as a result of data reduction andto thereby increase picture quality, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, the data buffer 902 under control of the buffer controlcircuit 901 serves as a data rate smoother. This is accomplished byvarying the delay through the buffer without varying the preselectedtime period in which the data rate is calculated. In such an embodiment,the output rate RO(t) of the data buffer 902 is permitted to vary fromthe data rate RP(t) of the received signal. Data from different periodsis shared to decrease the variations in the output rate RO(t) so thatless data reduction is required thereby resulting in improved imagequality as compared to the case where the data received in a given timeperiod is always output at the end of that time period. In such anembodiment, the data buffer 902 needs to be larger than in the casewhere there is no sharing between data rate measurement time periods inorder to accommodate the data to be shared. The actual buffer sizedepends in part on how much variation, e.g., data sharing, is to beallowed between data rate measurement time periods.

One way to make the data buffer 902 act as a data rate smoother is toapply a linear low pass filter to the received data such thatRO(t)=LPF(RP(t)). In such a case, the buffer control circuit 901operates to smooth the data buffer output rate over a period equal tothe data rate measurement period T. By smoothing the data output rate ofthe buffer 902 over the period T, the amount of data reduction whichmust be performed by the data reduction/padding circuit 904 will bereduced.

Another method of implementing a data smoothing operation is to performa data rate smoothing operation over multiple data rate measurementperiods T by controlling the output rate RO of the data buffer 902 sothat the data buffer 902 operates as a non-linear filter with regard tothe output data rate. One way to do this is to allow carryover ofunderflow between data rate measurement periods, within the bufferlimits, but not to allow carryover of overflow. In such a case, thecarryover in bits, CO(t), at time t will always be less than or equal tozero. In this embodiment, where the data buffer 902 is operated tooperate as a non-linear data filter, the minimum size of the data buffer902 is the maximum number of bits that can be received in thepreselected data rate measurement time period (R_(max) *T) plus themaximum permitted number of carryover bits CO_(max).

The operation of the data buffer 902 as a non-linear filter in anembodiment where the data buffer 902 is emptied at a variable rate, andthe operation of the data reduction circuit 904, under the control ofthe buffer control circuit 901, during steady state operation, isdescribed in the pseudo code set forth below:

    ______________________________________    Begin    if CO(t) + RP(t) > RR then    set RO(t) = RP(t);    perform data rate reduction to data rate RR; and    set CO(t+1) = CO(t);    end if;    if CO(t) + RP(t) <= RR then    set RO(t) = RR (no data reduction is needed) and    if data buffer is empty then    set CO(t+1) = CO(t) + RP(t) - RR    end if;    end if;    Repeat from begin.    ______________________________________

The operation of the data reduction circuit 904 and the data buffer 902,in an embodiment where the buffer 902 is emptied at a known fixed rateand where data is input to the buffer at an unknown rate correspondingto the rate of the received signal, is described by the pseudo code setforth below:

    ______________________________________    Begin    load buffer so that B = (RR-RI.sub.min)*T;    set t=1    set RO(1) = RR;    measure buffer input data rate over one data rate time    measurement period T and set RI(1) = measured    input data rate    for each interval T do:    set t = t+1;    measure the data buffer input data rate and set    RI(t) = the measured input data rate;    set RO(t) = RI(t-1);    if RO(t) > RR then    perform data reduction to reduce the rate of    the data output by the data reduction circuit    to RR;    else if RO(t) = RR then            perform no data reduction;            else if RO(t) < RR then              perform data padding so that the              output rate of the data reduction              circuit = RR;            end else if;    end else if;    end if;    end do;    End.    ______________________________________

The above pseudo code describes the case where the data is removed fromthe data buffer 902 at a known rate while data is simultaneously inputto the buffer at an unknown rate which is measured over the data ratemeasurement period T. In this embodiment, the initial output rate,RO(1), is set equal to the recording rate RR and the initial bufferfullness, B, is set to equal (RR-RI_(min))*T. Over each data ratemeasurement time period T, the input rate, RI, is measured In thesubsequent data rate measurement time periods the data buffer dataoutput rate RO(t) is set equal the measured input rate of the precedingtime period RI(t-1).

In such a case, buffer fullness is equal to the previous buffer datalevel plus the difference between the previous buffer level and thedifference between the input and output data rates, i.e.B(t)=B(t-1)+RI(t)-RO(t). It can be shown that the maximum buffer sizerequired to support this embodiment is equal to the difference betweenthe maximum input rate and the minimum input rate times the measurementperiod, B_(max) =(RI_(max) -RI_(min))*T.

For such an embodiment, assuming, for example, an input rate whichranges between 8 and 12 MBs and a measurement duration corresponding toa 15 frame GOP where each frame has a 1/30 second display time, thebuffer size required would be, e.g., 2 Mbits. The reduction rate for thebitstream would be the amount by which RO(t) exceeds the recording rateand padding would be employed when RO is less than the recording rate.

As discussed above, rather than making the output rate of the databuffer 902 simply a delayed version of the input rate, it can be asmoothed, e.g., low pass filtered version of the input data rate. Suchsmoothing is likely to reduce the amount of data reduction necessary ifthe input rate varies quickly with respect to the LPF time constant usedfor data rate filtering. However, it should be noted that bufferingproportional to the time constant of the LPF is required with anincrease in the LFP time constant requiring a larger filter. The maximumbuffer size required will be the difference between the RI_(max) andRI_(min) times the time constant of the LPF. This is similar to allowinga long time between measurements of the input rate.

Many of the various methods described above of converting a variablerate bit stream into a fixed rate bitstream involve reducing the amountof data used to represent a video frame. To enhance the picture qualityof a received reduced rate bitstream, a decoder may be designed toperform various types of processing operation on the reduced rate datato improve picture quality. Information regarding the amount of datareduction performed on video frames may be useful to such a postprocessor, e.g., to enable it to determine what type of video processingoperation will provide the best results in overall picture quality.

In order to facilitate such processing operations upon decoding, thedata reduction/padding circuit 904, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, incorporates header information into the video data streamassociated with video frames upon which data reduction operations havebeen performed. The headers indicate, e.g., the amount of data reductionperformed on the video frame data and/or the change in the quantizationlevel used to encode the video frames from the quantization level thatwas used to encode the video frames before requantization was used toreduce the amount of data in the video frame.

While the recording methods of the present invention have been generallydescribed assuming that an HDTV signal will be a signal having a fixeddata rate it is to be understood that the present invention is not solimited. In fact, the recording and data rate smoothing techniques ofthe present invention are readily applicable to the recording of fixedand variable data rate HDTV, SDTV signals as well as other types offixed and variable rate digital data bitstreams.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating a digital video taperecorder capable of recording data at a plurality of recording rates,the method comprising the steps of:receiving a first bitstream having adata content that includes a first set of encoded digital video data;measuring the average data rate of the first bitstream for a preselectedperiod of time; modifying the data content of the first bitstream as afunction of said measured average data rate, to generate from the datacontent of the first bitstream a fixed rate bitstream, the fixed ratebitstream having a fixed data rate that is lower than the measuredaverage data rate and equal to one of the plurality of recording ratesof the digital video tape recorder; and recording the encoded digitalvideo data included in the fixed rate bitstream on a tape at said one ofthe plurality of recording rates.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst bitstream is a variable rate bitstream and wherein the step ofmodifying the data content of the first bitstream includes the stepof;buffering the first set of encoded digital video data.
 3. The methodof claim 1, further comprising the step of:selecting the data rate ofthe fixed rate bitstream to equal the one of the plurality of recordingrates that is closest to the measured average data rate of the firstbitstream.
 4. A method of operating a digital video recorder capable ofrecording data at a plurality of recording rates, the method comprisingthe steps of:receiving a first variable rate bitstream including aheader identifying the maximum data rate of the first bitstream and adata content that includes a first set of encoded digital video data;monitoring the received bitstream for the header identifying the maximumdata rate of the first bitstream; measuring the average data rate of thefirst bitstream for a preselected period of time; modifying the datacontent of the first bitstream as a function of said measured averagedata rate, to generate from the data content of the first bitstream afixed rate bitstream including a second set of encoded digital videodata which is different from the first set of encoded digital videodata, the step of modifying the data content of the first bitstreamincluding the steps of:i. buffering the first set of encoded digitalvideo data; and ii. controlling the data rate of the generated fixedrate bitstream to equal the one of the plurality of recording rates ofthe digital video recorder that is closest to the maximum data rate ofthe first bitstream as identified by the monitored header; and recordingthe encoded digital video data included in the fixed rate bitstream on adigital storage device at said one of the plurality of recording rates.5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of modifying the data contentof the first bitstream further comprises the steps of:processing thebuffered digital video data to generate the fixed rate bitstream, thestep of processing the buffered digital video data including the stepof: performing a data reduction on the buffered digital video data ifthe buffered digital video data exceeds the one of the plurality ofrecording rates times the preselected period of time.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein the digital video data included in the first bitstreamrepresents Groups of Pictures, each Group of Pictures requiring a fixedamount of time to be displayed and wherein the preselected period oftime is at least as long as the fixed amount of time required to displaya Group of Pictures.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step ofperforming data reduction on the buffered digital video data includesthe step of selecting a subset of the buffered digital video data forinclusion in the fixed rate bit stream, the buffered digital video datacorresponding to portions of video frames, the step of selectingincluding the steps of:identifying buffered digital video datacorresponding to center portions of video frames; and selecting from thebuffered digital video data, video data corresponding to the centerportions of video frames for inclusion in the fixed rate bitstream at ahigher rate than buffered digital video data corresponding to otherportions of the video frames.
 8. The method of claim 5, wherein thedigital video data included in the first bitstream is compressed digitalvideo data, and wherein the step of performing data reduction on thebuffered digital video data includes the steps of:variable lengthdecoding the buffered digital video data to generate a first videocodeword data stream; performing requantization on the first videocodeword data stream to generate a second video codeword data streamhaving a lower data rate than the first video codeword data stream; andvariable length encoding the second codeword data stream to generate thefixed rate bitstream.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step ofperforming data reduction on the buffered digital video data furtherincludes the steps of:determining the quantization scale factor used toquantize the buffered video data at the time the video data wasoriginally compressed; and using a higher quantization scale factor thanthe determined quantization scale factor when performing the step ofrequantization on the first video codeword data stream.
 10. The methodof claim 2, wherein the step of modifying the data content of the firstbitstream includes the steps of:performing a data reduction on thebuffered digital video data; and incorporating a header into the fixedrate bitstream identifying the amount of data reduction performed. 11.The method of claim 10, wherein the step of recording the digital videodata included in the fixed rate bitstream includes recording the headeron the tape.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital video dataincluded in the first bitstream represents Groups of Pictures, eachGroup of Pictures requiring a fixed amount of time to be displayed andwherein the preselected period of time is at least as long as the fixedamount of time required to display a Group of Pictures.
 13. A method ofoperating a digital recorder, the method comprising the stepsof:receiving a variable rate bitstream including the a first set ofencoded digital image data; measuring the average data rate of thevariable rate bitstream for a preselected period of time; modifying thefirst set of encoded digital image data included in the variable ratebitstream received during the preselected period of time by performing adata reduction operation thereon, as a function of said measured averagedata rate, to generate a fixed rate bitstream from the variable ratebitstream, the fixed rate bitstream having a fixed data rate equal to afirst one of a plurality of recording rates of the digital recorder; andrecording the encoded digital image data included in the fixed ratebitstream at said first one of the plurality of recording rates.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, further comprising the step of:automaticallyselecting said first one of the plurality of recording rates as afunction of said measured average data rate.
 15. The method of claim 14,wherein the said first one of the plurality of recording rates isselected to be the one of the plurality of recording rates which isclosest to said measured average data rate.
 16. A method of operating adigital recorder, the method comprising the steps of:receiving avariable rate bitstream including a set of encoded digital data;measuring a data rate of the variable rate bitstream during a firstpreselected period of time; performing a data padding operation on theset of encoded digital data as a function of said measured data ratewhen the measured data rate is less than a recording rate of the digitalrecorder and performing a data reduction operation on the set of encodeddigital data when the measured data rate is greater than the recordingrate of the digital recorder, to generate a fixed rate bitstream; andrecording the digital data included in the fixed rate bitstream at saidfixed data rate.
 17. The method of claim 16,wherein the step ofperforming a data reduction operation on the set of encoded digital dataincludes the steps of:temporarily storing the set of encoded digitaldata included in the variable rate bitstream in a data buffer; supplyingthe digital data stored in the data buffer to a data processing circuit;and operating the data processing circuit to perform data reduction onthe buffered digital data when the buffered digital data is receivedfrom the data buffer at a rate that exceeds the recording rate of thedigital recorder.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising thestep of:controlling the rate at which digital data stored in the databuffer is supplied to the data processing circuit so that the databuffer acts as a data rate smoother to smooth the data buffer outputrate over a period of time at least as long as the first preselectedperiod of time.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step ofcontrolling the rate at which digital data is supplied to the dataprocessing circuit includes the step of:performing a low pass filteroperation on the data rate measured during each of a plurality of datarate measurement time periods to generate a smoothed data rate; anddetermining the output rate at which digital data is supplied to thedata processing circuit as a function of the smoothed data rategenerated by the low pass filter operation.
 20. The method of claim 18,further comprising the steps of measuring the rate of the variable ratebitstream during a second preselected period of time;and wherein thestep of controlling the rate at which digital data is supplied to thedata processing circuit includes the step of determining the output rateat which digital data is supplied to the data processing circuit as afunction of the data rate measured during the first and secondpreselected periods of time.
 21. The method of claim 18, wherein thestep of controlling the rate at which digital data stored in the databuffer is supplied to the data processing circuit includes the stepof:supplying data received during a second preselected period of time,in conjunction with data received during the first preselected period oftime, to the data processing circuit in a period of time equal to thefirst preselected period of time.
 22. The method of claim 16, whereinthe digital recorder supports a plurality of recording rates, the methodfurther comprising the step of:automatically selecting said fixed datarate as a function of said measured data rate.
 23. The method of claim22, wherein said fixed data rate is selected to be the one of theplurality of recording rates which is closest to said measured datarate.
 24. A method of operating a digital recorder, the methodcomprising the steps of:receiving a variable rate bitstream including afirst set of encoded digital data; measuring the data rate of thevariable rate bitstream during a first preselected period of time;modifying the first set of encoded digital data as a function of saidmeasured data rate, to generate a fixed rate bitstream therefromincluding a second set of encoded digital data that is different fromthe first set of encoded digital data, the fixed rate bitstream having afixed data rate equal to a recording rate of the digital recorder, thestep of modifying the digital data included in the variable ratebitstream including the steps of:i. predicting the data rate of thevariable rate bitstream during a second preselected time period as afunction of the data rate measured during the first preselected periodof time; ii. padding the digital data received during the secondpreselected period of time if the predicted data rate is less than therecording rate of the digital recorder; and iii. performing datareduction on the digital data received during the second preselectedperiod of time if the predicted data rate exceeds the recording rate ofthe digital recorder; and recording the digital data included in thefixed rate bitstream at said fixed data rate.
 25. A digital videorecorder comprising:a data buffer for receiving a digital bitstreamincluding encoded digital data representing a video frame; a datareduction and padding circuit coupled to the data buffer; a buffercontrol circuit coupled to the data buffer and the data reductioncircuit for measuring the data rate of the digital bitstream during apreselected data rate measurement period of time; a video recorder modecontrol circuit coupled to the data reduction and padding circuit forcontrolling, as a function of said measured data rate, the datareduction and padding circuit to generate a fixed rate bitstream fromthe received digital bitstream, the fixed rate bitstream having a fixeddata rate corresponding to a recording rate of the digital videorecorder; and means for recording the fixed rate bitstream.
 26. Adigital video recorder comprising:a data buffer for receiving a digitalbitstream including digital data representing a video frame; a datareduction and padding circuit coupled to the data buffer; a buffercontrol circuit coupled to the data buffer and the data reductioncircuit for measuring the average data rate of the digital bitstreamduring a preselected data rate measurement period of time; a videorecorder mode control circuit coupled to the data reduction and paddingcircuit for controlling, as a function of said measured average datarate, the data reduction and padding circuit to generate a fixed ratebitstream from the received digital bitstream, the fixed rate bitstreamhaving a fixed data rate corresponding to a recording rate of thedigital video recorder, the video recorder mode control circuitincluding means for detecting the receipt of one of a fixed rate highdefinition television signal and a standard definition television signaland wherein the video tape recorder mode control circuit controls thedata reduction and padding circuit to generate the fixed rate bitstreamwithout performing any data reduction when the receipt of a fixed ratehigh definition television signal is detected; and recording circuitryfor recording the fixed rate bitstream.
 27. The digital video recorderof claim 26, wherein the recording circuitry records the fixed ratebitstream on a tape at a first data rate when the video recorder modecontrol circuit detects the receipt of a fixed rate high definitiontelevision signal and at a second rate when the video recorder modecontrol circuit detects the receipt of a standard definition televisionsignal.
 28. A method of operating a digital recorder capable ofrecording data at a plurality of recording rates, the method comprisingthe steps of:receiving a first bitstream having a data content thatincludes a first set of encoded digital data; measuring the data rate ofthe first bitstream for a preselected period of time; automaticallyselecting, as a function of the measured data rate, one of the pluralityof recording rates to be used when recording digital data; processingthe received data included in the first bitstream to generate a fixedrate bitstream therefrom, the fixed rate bitstream having a data rateequal to the automatically selected data rate; recording the encodeddigital data included in the fixed rate bitstream on a recording mediaat said selected one of the plurality of recording rates.
 29. The methodof claim 28, wherein the step of automatically selecting one of theplurality of recording rates includes the step of:selecting the one ofthe recording rates which is closest to the measured data rate.
 30. Themethod of claim 28, wherein the method of automatically selecting one ofthe plurality of recording rates includes the step of:selecting the oneof the recording rates which is closest to the measured data rate butexceeds the measured data rate.
 31. The method of claim 30, wherein thestep of processing the received data included in the first bitstream togenerate a fixed rate bitstream therefrom, further includes the stepof:performing a data padding operation.